


We have each other

by Pan_2000



Series: Warrior's Way [3]
Category: Star Wars - All Media Types, Twilight Series - All Media Types
Genre: Alternate Universe, And Rey tries to right her mistakes, Anti-Imprinting, BAMF Leah Clearwater, Badass Finn (Star Wars), Badass Poe Dameron, Ben Solo has a cameo, Both Finn and Leah deserved better, But they aren't romanticised at all, Chess, Corrupting Force Bond, Crossover Pairings, Demons Are Assholes, Egypt, F/M, Finn tries to be a Jedi, Flashbacks, Follows Path of a Rebel crossover, Force-Sensitive Finn (Star Wars), Greece, Japanese Mythology & Folklore, JoJo References, Kitty and Pan finally meet, Manipulative Sheev Palpatine, Mentions of General Pryde, Pilot Poe Dameron, Propaganda, Prophetic Dreams, Rats & Mice, Resolving a plot point from the prequel, Rey Palpatine, Rey loves Finn, Spitefic, Supernatural Bonds, Supernatural Elements, Urban Fantasy, Yandere Rey, anti-reylo, mentions of abuse
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-01-01
Updated: 2020-11-17
Packaged: 2021-02-27 14:09:11
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 40
Words: 204,972
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/22068304
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Pan_2000/pseuds/Pan_2000
Summary: An alternate ending to Path of a Rebel.Rey has chosen to kiss Kylo, who always took from others and pretended to be the victim, turing her back to someone who had actually been taken from his family and was abused by his jailers.Finn, fed up with her, leaves her.Meanwhile, Leah's short moments of glory are over for a long time. She is alone, as she always was in her life before she met Kitty, Nicky and Dex, and then Finn.She has no company, everyone hates her, she is in a cell, humiliated and alone.But she won't cry. She is used to it.Life is not fair for them. They always tried tp stand up for others, only to be pushed aside, abused and called selfish.But it failed to bring them down.Act 1: Greece (Chapters 1-12)Act 2: Egypt (Chapters 13-21)Act 3: Japan (Chapters 22-30)Act 4: USA (Chapters 31-?)
Relationships: Finn(Star Wars)/Leah Clearwater
Series: Warrior's Way [3]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1477178
Comments: 424
Kudos: 33





	1. Here to rescue you

**Author's Note:**

  * For [JediBatman](https://archiveofourown.org/users/JediBatman/gifts).



> Since you, JediBatman, like the chemistry between Finn and Leah, I made this alternate ending for you.
> 
> As you know, I have nothing against Finnrey. I do, however, have a thing against Reylo and the fanon woobification of Ben. The Stormtroopers are real victims who were forced to kill, not Kylo. In the "canon" ending of my series, Finn forgives Rey for some dumb things and they become a couple. This is an AU where he doesn't forgive her and "Path of a Rebel" happened.
> 
> Why did I choose Leah? Because she gets similar treatment in her series as Finn. She is treated much, much worse than she deserves. And even though her author never deleted cool scenes of her, she never did allow her to personally take out any abuser of hers (Finn did get to hurt all heads of the FO except Snoke somehow) or gave her a friend.

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Finn is fed up with his old crush.

"He nearly killed me because I was fighting for your life, Rey! You stepped on me to climb to the top and then pushed me aside! For what? For the man who kidnapped and probed your mind! He nearly killed you! He used you to become Supreme Leader.

When you pushed me away, he nearly killed you again! I was the one who was always by your side. Your bond was a fake, a trick to show wrong as right! 

Well, don't worry. We might not be for each other. After all, why would the hero of the Galaxy be with a genocide apologist?" 

And Finn leaves, taking his jacket, blaster and lightsaber with him. Since he learned he has the Force, he decided to get out of Rey's shadow. Learning that she put a murderer, and not his victims, as a top priority, made him believe she was a waste of his time.

Rey gets hurt. That kiss was only for gratitude. 

"No! Come back!" She reminded herself of her parents, who left her to protect her. "No! COME BACK! PLEASE! I DIDN'T MEAN IT! STAY!" 

But her pleads fall to deaf ears. She watches him leaving. "Stay!" Her appearance turns into what she saw in the ruins of the second Death Star. "I will make you stay..." 

Elsewhere, Leah Clearwater is in a cell. A Moblin gives her food. "You are a special guest. You forced the mighty Alastor to fight seriously. So we serve the food in a plate of genuine silver. Ha ha ha!"

"It wasn't funny even the first time. Also, maggots again! You know I struggle to eat these!"

"If you liked them, we would serve you something else."

"And the cell is filthy and full of mice!"

"Awesome! They might gnaw your shoes, filthy animal."

The waiter leaves the silver plate at her feet and leaves. He also gave her a fork... of silver too. For a regular prisoner, silver items are heaven. For a werewolf like Leah, they are lethal. 

She stares at the walls. They are black, filled with filth and water, and the cells toilets visible to anyone passing in front of the cell. Only the bars are well-preserved, to prevent anyone from escaping. 

The demons knew Leah struggled because she was always alone. They never allowed anyone to visit her. Except for their guards, of course. 

Leah thinks of her old pack. A bunch of pedophiles, hypocrites, traitors to humanity. They were supposed to protect mankind, not let the vampires kill them for food! Humans are sapient beings. 

Of course, vampires kill to survive. Both species know they are enemies, and they will try their best to live, because they know there can be only one surviving in the end! 

The she-wolf remembers how they all hated her. Her boyfriend had dropped her. He abused her cousin and she was _happy_ with him. She did her best to escape the pack of her ex, only to end up with the bastard, Jacob. He scrapegoated her for everything. Even when she defended him, he still hated her. He would run away from every big fight. And he fell in love with a newborn child!

That last one got him executed by the demons. Leah allowed herself to grin. Seems like pedophilia is so repulsive, the Dragmires hated it more than what they considered high treason, terrorism and assault against a Minister. Apparently, Al Astor is the Minister of Truth. 

Leah calls him the Minister of Bullshit.

Even her brother hated her. She never did so, however, and got pissed when he died defending Jacob.

She does have some real company. She knows the Dragmire Gang is composed of sadistic murderers who are trained specifically to harm others. 

A little mouse visits her cell every day. She plays with it every day. She picks it up with one hand and tickles its belly with the other. Other times, she dangles it from the tail and gently pokes its head or back. 

Sometimes, she even gives it a light squeeze with both hands or rubs its cheek against hers. But she never hurt the little mouse. It makes her feel happy. Loved.

Said mouse used to be scared of her, since she was a giantess in front of it. In addition, the animals usually playing with mice were cats who wanted to kill and eat them. But Leah never even injured the tiny animal. She even hugged it more than once. She even learned its gender, and gave him a name. 

Now she is cuddling with him again. She pretends to hate mice so they would let him come to her cell and freak her out. They would almost force them together. If they learend the mouse actually made her happy, the mouse would be killed in front of her eyes. 

Five days pass. Leah is in her cell again. When she hears about the arrival of a new messenger. 

The messenger is a Stormtrooper. He is talking to one of the Staltroops. "Hello there, soldier. What's your business in the prison of the Hyrule Castle?" 

"I want to speak with the warden and see the prisoners. My name is FN-2003 and I am here in the orders of General Pryde of the First Order."

"I thought Hux was the General."

"He died. Now Pryde is the General. And he really wants to check out the prisoners of war and the conditions in the cells."

"Well, as long as you are not the blasted FN-2187, you may pass. But I heard the First Order was defeated."

"Oh no. Lies, deception. We killed the Traitor and the others." 

"Good." 

The Stormtrooper passes and has his blaster in hand. He meets with the Moblin Leader who is in charge. 

"Why did Pryde send a single Trooper instead of coming himself?" 

"Pryde is close. He just wants me to check out the conditions because he doesn't want to put himself in peril. After we check out the most dangerous prisoners, I will make sure you two meet." 

"Great." The Moblin Leader whispers to his assistant. "Something is wrong. Take a troop of ten Moblins and follow us without him noticing. If this trooper does anything, kill him."

Then he and the Stormtrooper get to the cells. "Pryde ordered me to take the prisoner called Leah Clearwater from her cell. He wants to experiment on her to check the werewolf anatomy. He says it's very important to know your enemy to avoid being fooled easily. Plus, enemies could fake a weakness and we need to see if it's a trick beforehand."

"Pryde is smart to think like that." 

"He is. He is ten times more competent than Hux at his best." 

"Nice. He is smart enough to also form an alliance with a mighty force that includes deities. He also trained the Stormtroopers well. But, since they let you think, how does nobody rebel against him?" 

"Oh, he treats us well."

Soon the two reach Leah's cell. The Stormtrooper grabs a small metal thing. "Captain, there is a change of plans... General Pryde wants to see you now."

"But the experiment..." 

The Stormtrooper ignites his blue lightsaber and with a quick spin he cleaves the officer in two! 

"Send my regards to Pryde. In Hell!" 

The backup team immediately charges from every angle. The Stormtrooper draws his blaster and fires one-handed, gunning down every single Moblin who comes at him while seathing his lightsaber. Two Moblins charge at him at once, but he extends his free hand and sends both monsters back with an unseen force. Two Stalcops fire their guns at him, but he ducks and deals two lethal headshots. 

Then he draws his lightsaber and is about to smash the bars. Leah grabs the mouse she has as a friend and hugs him tightly. 

"Finn! We have a problem! Enemy is coming!" 

The man uses the Force and pushes a Stygian back before impaling him with his lightsaber, filling the floor with black ooze. "Thanks, Leah. But... how do you know it was me? We were away for a long time!"

"I was not talking to you! I was talking to the mouse. I thought you were going to attack us... wait, is it you? Is it really you?" 

Finn cuts the bars with his lightsaber. Then he seathes his weapons and gives Leah a big hug. "Yes, Leah! I am back! By the way, did you really name your pet after me?" 

"Well, I wanted something to remember you, buddy! You made me so happy while we were together!"

"But... were you sad when I left?" 

"Actually, I got over you quickly. I was still happy and still had a cause... until I fought Al Astor. He was a disguised demon. An Archdemon to boot. And one of the strongest. He beat me to near-death and imprisoned me. I also got tortured every day. Me being sad had nothing to do with you. You did what you felt was right. By the way, how is the marriage with Rose?" 

"We were never a couple. I also became disillusioned with Rey. I wasn't enough of a piece of shit for her. But at least I spent my final night talking to Poe. He is and always has been a real friend and hero."

"I am sorry. She probably was not good enough for you. A waste of your time. So... you finally got over her, huh? About time! She is not your life!"

"No, she is not! But... why are you telling me this? Do you still love me?" 

"You are a friend for me, Finn. I am not telling this so you would put me to bed instead. I am telling this because you deserve a life out of her shadow. She is making you sad. She used you. She yelled at you for helping her. You deserve to be happy. Forget her! As much as you can!" 

"Yeah..." 

Leah spots a patrol of three Stalcops coming. "Finn, stay close to Finn. I will deal with them." 

She turns into a werewolf and hides in the shadows. When they come close, she strikes! She uses her paws and teeth to tear some bones off the skeletons, but she only kills two of them before the third one strikes her with his nightstick. Leah retaliates with biting his scull off. Then she pounces on a Moblin Archer. 

As they escape, they fight many rats, Shadow Vermin, Stalcops, Staltroops and Ghouls. Even Finn, the mouse, manages to beat up two bigger rats. 

In the end, the human, the Lycan and the mouse are back-to-back and fight against multiple guards. The mouse lures many Ghouls and Shadow Vermin towards Finn's sights and he shoots a ghoul's head, making it explode. The chain reaction makes him close his eyes, as more Ghouls explode. In the end the corridor becomes larger and free of enemies. 

Meanwhile, Leah in her wolf form manages to defeat multiple rats, Stalcops and even Staltroops. A Staltroop thrusts at her with his spear, but she dodges and cuts it in half before lunging and tearing his bones off. When the last skeleton falls, the three are almost in the exit. 

Where they encounter a monster beyond all three of them. A mighty Silver Skeleton. Leah knows she can't hurt it because of its silver, but at least she can take on the three Stalcops it has for backup. She does so easily.

Finn struggles with the Silver Skeleton and gets a jab in his shoulder. He screams in pain, since it draws blood, but he keeps fighting on. After five rounds, he uses the Force to push the enemy back and decapitates it with his saber. It falls to the floor, destroyed. "Wow. I expected it to be harder."

The three are about to leave when a silver sword emerges through Finn's back. He stares in surprise. But Leah is pissed. "Oh yeah... they revive all the time. You can only truly destroy them by blowing them up... I don't care! I will kill it for an eternity!"

She has managed to get her weapons back, both the stake and the pipe. She uses the former for a quick jab at the monster's eye socket and the latter to clobber it. But it does manage to block many blows. Not all of them. Leah is faster, but the skeleton has more skill and immortality. The she-wolf manages to smack the scull of the Silver Skeleton once. Twice. Thrice. But her next blow is parried and the riposte knocks her down, nearly dead. 

Finn has tanked many blows in his life. A backstab isn't enough to put him down. The other Finn insticntively protects his friend, gnawing the bones of the monster and not allowing it to finish the nearly dead Leah off. Since Leah has weakened the skeleton a lot, the mouse manages to break it by ripping off its leg, which was also hit by Leah's steel pipe. 

Finn, formerly FN-2187, puts a detonator at the pile of bones. Both of his allies run away and the explosion obliterates the monster. 

Finn carries Leah the way a groom carries his bride.

She looks at him. "Finn... I love you."

"I know."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Ironically enough, in a recent spitefic I wrote, this version of Rey did get to slaughter a very awful abuse apologist by ripping off her legs with the Force. This is what the Hero of the Galaxy does with an abuse apologist!
> 
> Finn needed to call Rey out once for what she did. I believe having her being vulnerable would make her more likable. Also, Finn, in anger, would say things he never would otherwise. 
> 
> Might do this with some more chapters. Again, it's an alternate ending!
> 
> The reason I write this? Finn and Leah are very very underrated gems. Gems that their narratives treat badly, because the authors don't like their values... which doesn't say anything positive about the authors. 
> 
> Even though they have to earn it, the purpose is to make these two babies and their fans happy. Plus, they would have awesome chemistry if they met, starting by treating each other as people!
> 
> Happy new year, please leave me feedback!


	2. We need a pilot

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Rey realizes that she could indeed live without Kylo. But she misses her Finn and wants him back. So, she sends their best friend to persuade him to come back.
> 
> Finn and Leah travel to Greece to build a home. Earth is just how they remember it. Romantic places, average technology, and demon sympathizers walking down the streets.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So... I decided to upload another chapter, for the two or three people interested in my crack crossover pairing.

"Breaking news. The terrorist known as Finn, who is a sleazy, disgusting, cowardly traitor, broke into a prison of high security, murdered our guards who were just doing their jobs and released the bitter, worthless, destructive whore known as Leah Clearwater, who was arrested for an attempt on my life, since I exposed all her crimes against the planet." 

In the Plaza of Aristotle, Thessaloniki, Finn and Leah are sitting in a bar. Finn is impressed. "Leah... did you really fight Al Astor?" 

"Yes. The man himself. How do I know he is a demon, after all? He" she whispers so no spies could hear her "is actually a giant with dark blue skin, blood red eyes and horns. And has tons of muscle." 

"Why don't we just expose him in public?" 

"His influence is still strong, you fool! He would send armies to kill us on the spot or track us with his many cameras and have us murdered in our sleep!" 

Finn smiles at her. "I am a fool, but my foolishness killed the Volturi."

"Perhaps. But Al Astor and his superiors are much worse. You shouldn't have come back for me. Your quest is over. You deserved to live in peace. Here you are in danger, idiot."

"No. As long as I am alive and have the Force, I will fight for what is right. I don't really care if I die, Leah. As long as I make sure innocents live." 

Leah cups his face. "This is why you are an idiot. And this is why you are my idiot." Then she picks up her pet mouse and gives him a big hug, cuddling him. 

Finn smiles. "Leah... every time I see you petting, hugging and playing with little Finn, I think you are projecting what you fantacise about us two."

"I will tell you what... not really. Seldom do I let him leave my warm embrace. But... I don't have a bad taste romantically, unlike my old pack."

"I thought you love me."

"Not enough to kiss a mouse, pretending it's you. I prefer to kiss the real deal instead. Now that all three of us are together, it will be easier to separate you from the other cute Finn." 

"Tell me, Rey... do you want to have children?" 

Leah scowls at him. "First of all, I don't like this name. I am Leah, the werewolf. There is no 'Rey' here. Second, I will tell you later why, but I can't have children with you."

"Why not now?" 

"We have endured a lot together and even more apart. But we still need to know each other better. There are a lot of things you still don't know about me."

"Likewise. Sorry for sticking my nose in." 

Leah puts her finger under his chin and gently rubs it. He feels uncomfortable. 

"Uhm, Leah... uuuuh..." 

He can't even form a sentence. She stops touching him, seeing that she makes him panic. 

"Sorry."

"It's just... you know, I have been kissed against my will in the past. Among other things. So... I am not very comfortable with being touched in a provocative manner."

Leah scoffs. " _Rose._ You told me about her. You know what? I know what it means to be vilified for no reason. I know what it means to be called things you are not. I know what it means your loved ones to turn their backs on you because they are brainwashed by horrible, horrible people. Lost a brother that way. 

Saw the final legend. You went to help her. She pushed you away. She made you sad. And you know what? Nobody makes you sad. When I saw you, I saw myself. All these hardships... nothing brought us down. Even insane surroundings. 

Something tells me this is why even the Dark One sees us as a threat, even while he controls everything. Because the real strength is surviving hardships. If you are treated like dirt and still do what's right... there is nothing more heroic than this. 

No matter how much we are knocked down, we stand up for ourselves. We stand up for others. And if one of us ever feels weak? The other will be their strength. As long as we have each other... we are unbeatable."

Meanwhile, in the planet of Mustafar, Rey is building her new throne. She summons her best pilot, Poe Dameron. 

"Hello, General. I have to assign you another mission."

"But Kylo is dead! Palpatine is also dead!" 

" _Sheev_ Palpatine is dead. Neither of these monsters will be missed. But I do miss somebody. Find Finn. Tell him I am sorry. Do your best to bring him back. And if you fail... I will bring him myself."

"Yes, Rey." Poe bows down to her. He has missed his old friend, really. He always treated him as a human, he was the one who gave him a name. When he saw Rey thinking about her bond and neglecting Finn and himself, he could not understand her. 

He is not doing this for her. He is doing this for his best friend. 

As Poe takes his X-Wing and leaves, Rey stands alone. She sees a spirit. The spirit of Ben Solo. 

"You... became a Force Ghost?" 

"Actually, no. Force Ghosts are a fade blue. What color am I?" He looks at his hands, knowingly.

"Blood red. If the Force didn't bring you back, what did bring you?" 

"There are abilities many consider... unnatural. I was not deemed worthy of the kingdom of the righteous. That said, I still strive to redeem myself. But I want to tell you... you have now the spirit of a true Jedi. Keep walking your path. Soon, you will fullfill your destiny.

The Great One brought us together. He wrote the prophecy that said our bond would save the Galaxy. He did not lie. He is the only solution. The only way for the Galaxy out of corruption. Thanks to our dyad... We took out Palpatine. We are now the heroes. The Chosen Ones."

Elsewhere, an ad is playing. A man with black hair uses a lightsaber to cut off a cake.

"What's that?"

"A glowing sword. And the problem... Is no more!"

Finn and Leah see the advertisement. "Interesting." The former comments, rubbing his chin. "Another Jedi in this planet? We should find him. He could help me with my training."

The other Finn is standing on Leah's left shoulder. He nods at his namesake.

Leah Clearwater shakes her head. "What if he is just an actor? Who knows?"

"You told me people are much more aware of the destruction among them now. Hardships sometimes bring the best out of people. As it happened with us!"

Leah remembers the way Jacob was about to run away when in a final fight with Aro's forces. "Or the worst out of people."

Inside the Boar News Tower, Al Astor uses his cameras to spot them. "We have a problem. He is in Greece, and so is Leah. Plus, we are hunting down that Q there. He must be invisible or something, he managed to take out three patrols unnoticed. We need forces in Greece."

Then he sees a big, dark green demon with purple crystals on his back. He is covered in steel plates and has a crossbow. "I thought you had it under control, Alastor. You should have killed that dumb wolf. But don't worry. I will personally go and destroy all three of them. There is a reason I am called Hardmour, the Tower of Chaos. Of course, I won't be alone... I will bring an army with me. Don't worry, I will bring their heads back... As souvenirs."

"Do or die."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> To anyone Greek, remember I translated an actual Greek ad which was funny. I struggled to make a rhyme in English without changing the contents. 
> 
> Shout-out to JediBatman again, since he is from my country too and will get it. 
> 
> A true hero is one who will stand up for himself and others when he sees an injustice. 
> 
> Do you agree with Ben being used as a means for the Great One to control Rey? Or Poe flying to Earth?
> 
> Please leave me feedback!


	3. False Love

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Leah explains what an imprint is and how imprints (and other supernatural bonds) aren't true love. 
> 
> Poe Dameron reaches Earth. The couple makes some more allies.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Warning: The chapter where Leah and Finn start gathering allies.

"I heard the man with the Lightsaber hides in the south. It will be a long distance."

"Leah, you are much, much faster than me. Can't you turn into a wolf and let me ride you?" 

"Not here. Not now. Listen, I have no problem with you riding me. But this place is crowded. I can't let you ride me in public, we have decency for God's sake. We don't want to expose ourselves in front of all of them, right?" 

"Right."

"I wonder, Leah, after I came back, you started becoming a bit possessive towards me. You don't want to lose me from your sights, you don't want me to speak Rey's name..."

"You said it again! She is a part of your imagination! Forget her!" 

"Exactly. And you also named a pet after me. I wonder... did you imprint on me?" 

Leah chuckles. "No, no, no. You haven't seen a real imprint. It's portrayed as the bond of the truest love... but it's a fraud, caused by supernatural causes. It brainwashes the imprinter, it is an unhealthy obssession that defies all common sense. It's what turned most of my old pack into the monsters they were. Abusers... pedophiles... slaves..."

"So... what would change if you imprinted on me?" 

"You have no idea... I will tell you. I saw my old packmates. They went insane. Supernatural bonds are not romantic. They are nightmare fuel. Let me explain what I would do. For starters, I would not question you when you are about to do something stupid for me. For example, you might have contributed just as much as me in the fall of Volterra, but what you did was still really fucking stupid."

"You are welcome."

"Well, you are still my idiot. Besides, do you know why I have problems with the R-word? Not because you loved her. In fact, I was happy to see you leave the first time because I was scared of imprinting on the child you would have with her. Plus I wanted you to be happy with her, even if it meant leaving me behind. I can live without you. I still led my rebels to freedom and nearly succeeded. If I had imprinted, I would be suicidal the moment you left. Besides, I would probably use the little Finn for much more perverted activities.

Oh, who am I kidding??? I would not let you leave. You know what happened to my poor cousin, right? When the worthless piece of shit scarred her because she told him no. The imprint might make me do similar things to you. Scarring you, sexually assaulting you, murdering any woman who touched you... I would lose any independence I have right now. 

That forced bond... would turn me into a monster. It would destroy my free will. It would also destroy yours. Free will. The one thing the one the enemy worships tries to destroy. The one thing that makes true heroes and monsters. The moment you lose it, you don't live. You exist."

Finn has the realization hit him like an AT-AT. "Oh no. So... bonds which defy free will are products of evil and turn people into slaves?" 

"Yes. Why?" 

"The Force Bond. The so-called dyad. She said Palpatine absorbed it to become stronger than ever... oh no. Oh Force no." 

Finn starts breathing heavily. Leah touches his heart. It beats rapidly. _Way_ too quickly. 

"Finn? What happened? Please tell me!"

"Rey."

"Rey what? She pushed you aside for a slaver and abuser!"

"Exactly! She is in danger! The bond! It is destroying her! It's making her a monster... and she believes she is doing good!"

"She got chained by a supernatural bond?" Leah ask.

"Yes."

Leah gives Finn a big, gentle hug. "I feel sorry for you, my sweet pie. She is a lost cause. She is getting destroyed from the inside... and she has no idea."

"We must stop this. The Great One... he is doing this! His dark magic made him mess with the souls of the living to corrupt them. He must be. 

Let's make him pay."

Speaking of Rey, she is talking to Ben's ghost again. 

"Remember, my love, you kissed me."

"Out of gratitude. For all the times you acted like a giant dick, you did give your life for me. I expected you to do many years of purgatory after that."

"They said something about 'my sins being ignored in life because of my family' or something. Listen, thank you for using our bond to help redeem me. But, since it wasn't really born from true love, I believe it might do things to our free will."

"Your redemption was from free will. You refused to murder Han in cold blood in your vision... you told me so. And you willingly came back and gave your life for me... just like Finn always did." 

"Finn left you when you told him the truth, though."

"Indeed. I will show him the rest of the truth shortly... I will make him come back."

And as she says this, Poe Dameron lands on Earth with his X-Wing.

Sadly for him, he can't pinpoint the exact location of the two. But BB-8 helps him find approximately. 

"This little piece of land? Let's go find them. Our dear friend, Rey, is starting to become worried!"

"BLEEEEP!"

"Yeah, I noticed something is wrong with her too!"

"BLEEP."

"Yeah, her calling herself Palpatine is certainly not good. Of course, I wonder how the old debris had a family, I heard he was really fucking ugly!"

"BLEEP!"

"Yeah, he is evil enough to do _that._ "

He ends up in Greece... but in the island of Mykonos. Which really isn't much different since the demons took over... it actually improved, since the demons put heavy taxes and controlled the traffic, stopping the races on the normal streets. 

That said, they weren't really good guys, since punishing surpassing speed limit by death defies the purpose of putting a speed limit in the first place. 

Still, some guys on motorcycles decide to ride at full speed on a street, passing even from red lights and making tricks just to show off. But Poe, tired of being the mature General he was trained to be, wants to show off too. And decides to troll them with his X-Wing, leaving all of them speechless.

He even does a barrel roll. But then he spots a giant moth coming at his ship. "I have a bad feeling about this." He lures it away from the racers and does plenty of tricks to avoid its acidic spits.

He eventually gets behind the big bug and fires the blasters. The moth gets blown up quickly. 

"Bloated fauna 0 - Technology 1!"

Meanwhile, Finn and Leah encounter their first problem since they came to Greece. The local Agents spot them. "The Tower of Chaos will be glad to hear that we found the traitor and the she-wolf." 

"How can a construction feel emotion?" 

"The demon Hardmour. His nickname is "Tower" because he is very durable and has an impressive defence." 

"I understand."

"Well, what do we do now? Arrest them?" 

"Bah, just shoot the fuckers into oblivion."

The Agents attack from many sides and fire bullets.

"Leah, we are in danger. I have to tell you something important."

"What? Do you l..."

"I am Force-Sensitive!" And he Force Pushes three Agents down, allowing Leah to shapeshift into a wolf and focus on the rest, effortlessly dodging bullets and killing them one by one. 

An Agent prepares to shoot Finn in the back, but he senses it and with just one hand fires his blaster, hitting the enemy in the chest. 

A Bazooker Boy is on a rooftop and prepares to fire a rocket. But a bullet from a sniper rifle takes him out. The invisible sniper shoots more Agents and surprises Leah and even Finn with his accuracy. 

In the end, all Agents are knocked out. The sniper decides to go down to the ground with a rope he bought and make himself visible.

"Hello, warriors. My name is Q."

"Thanks for the help. We are..."

"I know you two. So, Finn, you chose Leah after all! I heard you are very good friends."

Finn smiles. "Yeah. Friends."

Leah decides not to say anything. Her mouse is behind her. She picks him up and plays with him again. 

Q watches. "Seems like Leah likes this mouse. Why?" he asks Finn.

"None of your business" Leah replies. She wouldn't tell to a stranger that she has a pet to imagine she is cuddling with a loved one.

Finn is suspicious. "Why do you help us?" 

"Because I know about your tales. Al Astor is full of shit. You did a nice job against Aro and his bloodsuckers."

"Well, you can't beat stupidity." Leah comments.

"D-e-t-e-r-m-i-n-a-t-i-o-n. That's how it's spelled." Finn replies. 

"Yeah, thank you for breaking the Silver Sword, but Chelsea was about to suck you dry. And not necessarily of blood."

Q is surprised by her language. "If you two want to argue, I know a hotel. The Dragmire Gang never sets foot there." 

Finn and Leah keep bickering. "If I wasn't there, you wouldn't even reach their leadership! Even though I did miscalculate, it still worked in my favor in the end!"

"We got lucky there, for sure. What matters is that you almost got murdered and they would do other horrible things to you! And that? For a social outcast who was the scrapegoat of her family!"

"And the entire city of Rome, Leah. And you are more than what you said you are. You are not an useless bitter harpy, you are not a goddess, but you are still a heroine, one of the two saviors of Rome."

Finn was with her for what she was and did. The reason Leah fell for him wasn't an imprint, in fact she thought he was insane after he offered to take on the Volturi. Took many missions together for her to see him as more than a friend.

Q crosses his arms. "The Dragmire Gang doesn't wait for you two to bicker before they send backup. Quickly, follow me. I've got a car." 

Soon enough, the Dragmires do bring reinforcements. The Agents are even more. Q leads the way, while Leah grabs each Finn with a hand and runs behind him.

Finn uses the Force and his training to send cover fire at the pursuing enemies, slowing them down and injuring one in the arm. But since he is running and firing behind him, he misses most shots. The enemies have a much easier time shooting them and wound Finn's right leg. Leah Clearwater wraps an arm around his shoulder. In the end, they reach the car. 

"What will happen if they manage to catch up?"

Q smiles. "I have some gadgets. Quick, enter, all of you!"

They do, but the back of the vehicle is shot by a pistol-wielding Agent. 

"Q, do you have a turret? I could shred all of them easily!"

"No, Finn. But we do have some other tricks."

He presses a button and three green Spydor Mines run at the Agents. Two reach them and blow them up, but gunfire manages to stop the third one.

"They are running away! We need vehicles to catch up!"

An Agent calls another team. "Block their way! Use a Light Tank, it is the best to get fleeing cars with no turrets!" 

"Affirmative! Who are the targets?"

"A black man with a blaster and a very fast Native American who has a mouse. They are going towards the south!"

"Oh, these guys? Should we bring monsters for help?"

"No, it will blow our cover. But you have to kill all of them. Even the animals." 

Q puts the William Tell Overture theme in the radio. Leah asks why.

"Because they will give chase... And I want something appropriate." 

Of course, the Agents pinpoint the targets and put a roadblock of wood in front of them. The Agents also have two of them, armed with Assault rifles. 

"Q, do you have a mode of battering ram? Preferably at full speed?"

"Yes, and fully tested. But it can only last fifteen seconds before it has to recharge."

"Let's do this!"

The mode hardens the front of the car and boosts its speed. But it has a short duration and other gadgets can't be used. The bullets bounce off the car, except one that hits the glass and shatters it. The car runs the two over and shatters the weak block. 

"Ok, boys, that was fucking savage."

"Give us a break, she-wolf, they were shooting us!"

"I know, Finn, but I wouldn't like to be them."

"It's not over yet! Finn, they have a bazooker! I will open your window, shoot him before he blows us up!"

The Bazooker Boy fires a rocket, but Finn shoots it in mid-air and then takes him out with a headshot. 

Leah has seen all the legends of the Galaxy. "And you used to be a Stormtrooper?"

"Yeah. Always top of my class. You know, not all Troopers have terrible aiming."

"No wonder you left."

The three are about to get out of Macedonia. But the Light Tank catches up and starts firing! The machine gun easily penetrates the hull of the car and the vehicle is fast enough to give chase. Q unleashes more Spydor Mines at the tank, but the driver drives a bit backwards and the gunner easily takes out all mines before they make contact. 

Finn begins to panic. "Anything else we might have? They are going to wreck our only means of escape!"

Leah was itching for a chance to help. She pets her mouse. "Finn, stay inside. I am going to stall for time."

She opens her door, gets out of the car and flips off the Light Tank in front of her. Then she quickly turns into her wolf form. The gunner tries to shoot her, but even though his machine gun is strong and very fast, having done a number in the back of the car, Leah manages to be even faster and runs circles around the quick vehicle. She even finds an opening to attack with her teeth. The armor of the tank isn't very heavy, but it still withstands a bite of a werewolf. Her teeth do nothing on it. Then she barely dodges some shells which could hurt her badly, even though they are not silver. 

"Hold still, bitch!" the gunner shouts as he fires more and more shells. 

Meanwhile, inside the car, Finn protests that he is not leaving Leah behind. Q tells him that they won't leave her.

"Spydor Mines again? Are you sure? Remember what happened last time?"

"Last time, the Light Tank wasn't facing Leah."

"Do we have more mines?"

"No. But it will work." Q seems uncertain. "It has to."

The gunner, seeing he and his weapon are slower than Leah, decides to use his head. He fires a shell a bit in front of her. She turns quickly, but the shell still wounds her tail. She is bleeding.

Another shot knocks her down, but fails to kill her because of her durability. The driver decides to finish her off by running her over. But she is still a strong werewolf, and she manages to get up and charge at the Light Tank. She tries to push it back, not wanting to admit defeat. Since the tank is from the light variety, it fails to completely overpower her. And the Spydor Mines are coming, forcing the machine gun to turn and shoot down the two of them. But Leah uses her head too, jumps on top of the tank and rips the machine gun off with her teeth. Then she jumps down and runs towards the car, while the tank is blown up. It took a single mine. 

The four escaped. Now they have to face new problems...

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> And Poe reached Earth and beat his first monster! Plus, he got to show off.
> 
> Liked Q appearing? What's your views at imprints and other similar bonds which are mostly supernatural and override common sense?


	4. Air Support

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Finn reunites with his best friend. The group becomes larger. The Tower acts. 
> 
> Meanwhile, Kitty and Pan finally meet!

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The group becomes bigger! Also, I hope you don't mind the big OC-on-OC battle in the end, it's for anyone who cares about a Pan, Dex, Kitty and Nicky reunion!

"What do you mean 'they escaped'? You had a tank! A Light Tank! And you couldn't beat two people? They were a former Stormtrooper and a girl!"

"But... Q was with them! He helped too!" 

"Q? So... basically, all the people I am sent to kill. I hope they are away from people, second liutenant. Agents aren't enough for them. I need to send the monsters."

The second liutenant still has questions. "But, O mighty Tower of Chaos, why don't you just go by yourself and kill'em all?" 

"Nice question. The low-level demons will cause less panic. I won't kill the Traitor and his bitch and expose myself. Not without having minions track them first." 

He turns to a Red Demon Knight. "You! Take a transport and lead two hundred zombies against the enemy to soften them up." 

"Yes, Tower." 

Hardmour turns to the second liutenant. "Watch over them with our cameras. If our force is in trouble, only then use three attack helicopters full of men."

"Affirmative!"

As the Resistance is going towards the south, Q puts on some music. Finn enjoys "Staying Alive" the most. Well, there was a reason he wasn't even panicked when the Silver Skeleton stabbed him with its powerful blade in the back. He often jokes that had he rammed the cannon on Crait, he would just have an ugly headache.

Leah prefers "Paradise City" instead.

"Why? Does it mean something for you?" 

"No, I just love the melody, ok?" 

"One day, Leah, we should stand by the sea and watch the sunset." 

"This sounds awesome!"

"Because night falls and you are a creature of the night?" 

"Yes, and because it's nice to see the solar rays fading behind the clear water."

Q is puzzled. "Why is that so important?" 

But Finn is not. "It's personal." 

The company reaches a village slightly north of Athens. Finn and Leah get out of the car. The former whispers to the latter. "Again, are we sure you didn't imprint on me after I got you out of jail? You seem desperate to prove yourself better than the girl I loved, whose you forbid me to speak! If you didn't imprint on me and truly love me, allow me to speak her name."

"She made you miserable. She threw you away for a murderer. I never hit you. I never abused you. I don't hate her for the way you treated her, but the way she treated you. But..."

"By being so possessive, you are making me sad, Leah. Stop telling me not to speak names of other women, it's abusive!"

Q and Little Finn watch as Leah opens her mouth wide. "Did I make you sad? I thought that I made you happier. She neglected you! I know what it is to be neglected! I know what it is for people to turn their backs to me! I know what being vilified for doing nothing wrong is! I thought that by mocking her, by telling you I am not like her, I soothed your poor little heart!"

"I know you did what you thought was right. But, please, don't be too possessive. This is all I ask for. I am pretty sure you have a reason for that. But you tell me when we are alone."

"Finn... I am sorry. I am so sorry."

"I forgive you, Leah. Just don't leave or act as if I exist solely for you or vice versa."

And the two hug.

The three book a hotel and are going to sleep for the night. They have two rooms, one for Q and one for Finn and Leah. Little Finn always stays close to his mistress. He is now nudging her socked foot, asking to be cuddled. 

Leah holds him close to her chest and gently plays with him. "See, Finn? Now that Q isn't here... I can tell you why you are so special for me."

"I suppose it's that all your close relatives, your team, your own family hated you for doing nothing wrong. But you still did your best, expecting nothing, to help others. Then, when you saw me, you simply were impressed that I could stand up to the Agents and saved me from getting arrested. And then you saw me fighting immeasurable odds, all to save the people you were protecting... all to save you, too." 

"How do you know?" 

"That also made Rey fall for me initially... before the "imprint" thing brainwashed her to go after the cold-blooded killer. And because... I was often treated like dirt for doing nothing wrong. Like you." 

"And another thing you did. You killed my tormentor. You bested him in a fair fight! I could never thank you for that! I thought Silver Moblins were unbeatable!"

"The real hero was you, Leah. You knew any contact with him would hurt you. And you still staked him in the heart, making the fight easier for me. And, after that, I saw how you used a new weapon to stand up to the Silver Skeleton. Don't worry, Leah, we are unbeatable, as long as..." 

"...we have each other."

The couple is about to sleep together. When Q listens to the Boar News. "The wanted extremists FN-2187, Leah Clearwater and Q have been spotted north of Athens. As I speak, a team of brave vigilantes dressed as zombies to scare the enemy are close to the hotel the three are hiding."

Q snorts. "We just can't catch a break. Thankfully, I exploit the news, which try to alert the enemy to our location, in our favor. They know we are here. They are coming for us!"

Finn gets to his blaster. "Then let's chew bubblegum and kick ass."

"But, Finn, we have no bubblegum!"

"I know, Leah."

Q and Little Finn stay inside. Q is a sniper, with a defensive ability. He is far from a coward, but his fighting style is not for the front lines. By keeping the high ground, being invisible and having a sniper rifle, he can deal massive damage without even putting himself in danger.

Finn and Leah get outside, preparing for a fight. And, sure enough, the undead horde comes soon. 

The Red Demon Knight raises his poleaxe. "My brave undead..." the zombies look at him "...free brains." 

The undead advance slowly. Most are unarmed, with no protection, but some have tiny wooden shields and broken swords, or wrenches, or the occasional throwing axe. 

Finn opens the fight with a Force Push, sending the front row crashing to more zombies. Leah uses her super speed and kills some zombies with her wooden stake, while she punches and kicks some more creatures. 

Finn uses his blaster while moving with one hand and still manages to shoot many monsters in the chest. An undead throws a small axe at him, but he shoots the axe in mid-air and then the zombie. And then he proceeds to gun down some more zombies.

The horde is still quite big, and the defence line consists only of two people. But Q uses his sniper rifle and manages to eliminate many monsters quickly, without missing a single shot. He even manages to kill two at once. Since he is invisible, no zombie pays attention to him. 

But the walking dead aren't only the pathetic standard units. As Leah blocks a punch and stakes another undead, she hears a scream and gets paralyzed. So does Finn, but the Red Demon Knight closes his ears and the other undead are not stunned. 

"Perfect, ReDeads. Finish them off." The two ReDeads advance to finish Finn and Leah, but Q and his sniper rifle kill them in three shots each, and one of the two ReDeads had climbed in Finn's back and was about to choke him to death, but the last shot of Q destroyed the undead monster. 

The dynamic duo can move again. And they are going all-out now. Leah turns into a big wolf, while Finn draws his lightsaber. The she-wolf powers through the undead, tossing them left and right! While Finn cleaves a zombie with weak gear in two and reaches the Red Demon Knight. Only to be knocked down by the enemy's long, red poleaxe, opening a wound. 

Leah howls in rage and ten standard zombies dogpile her. Then five more get on the heap. But Leah hasn't given up in her life. She uses all her strength and manages to toss all of them out of herself. Then she keeps charging. 

For a moment, the Red Demon Knight turns at her. "You! The member of the pedophiles!" 

Finn pushes him back with the Force and the Knight lands on his back. He quickly stands up using his poleaxe and charges again with his weapon forward. Finn rolls sideways twice and fires his blaster, but fails to penetrate the sturdy shield. Zombies try to help the demon, but both Q and Leah take them out, allowing their friend to focus on the Knight. 

Finn has to roll underneath a dangerous swing of his enemy and gets close to his arm, proceeding to slash it with his blue lightsaber. Then he slashes it once more with his saber and finishes with a strong kick. 

The Red Demon Knight kicks him back and then stabs him with his long polearm. "You are beneath me, human. As Al Astor points out, just a comic relief."

Finn does another Force Push and gains time, and then he slides under another attack. Precisely on cue, Q fires a bullet and the Knight has to block it with his greatshield. But then Leah bites part of his leg, piercing his armor! These diversions allow Finn to reach the Knight and slash him three times, killing him. 

The moment the Knight falls, the reinforcements come. Helicopters. All three have machine guns and are quite fast. Finn's only chance is to shoot the propeller... which he could do if he wasn't on the ground and all the helicopters weren't unleashing cover fire at him and Leah. 

"Drop your weapons! Raise your hands!"

The two flee to the hotel instead and, as Finn shoots the last zombies, Leah changes into her human form and closes the door. But bullets start doing damage to the hotel. 

Finn is in no place to attack the helicopters. But the team still has an unnoticed cloaked sniper who is not on the ground. So, Q is the one who shoots the propeller of a helicopter for Finn. With one shot, the chopper flies out of control and crashes. Not all Agents survive the crash. 

The two helicopters left don't spot Q, but figure out the place from where he shot and fire at the general direction, forcing Q to drop to the floor as his room and other parts of the hotel are wrecked.

The three are in danger. Finn believes he could do something, but not at this moment, the helicopters have them pinned. Then he hears familiar sounds as a ship from his Galaxy fires its blasters and effortlessly blows the second helicopter up.

"An X-Wing?" 

The X-Wing dodges the machine gun of the third chopper and obliterates it with its blasters too!

"Wow." Leah comments. "He must be a hell of a pilot!"

Finn realizes immediately who he is. "He is. And is here for me."

"Should we kick his ass? You mean he is malicious?" 

"No. In fact, he is my best friend."

Q is enthusiastic too. "Wait... it's Poe? The mighty General Dameron?" 

Finn smiles. "Yes. Pilot, General, Leader, destroyer of a superweapon... Imagine him with the Force." 

Seeing Q having a sheepish smile, contrasting his usual serious attitude, Finn continues. "You can greet him right after me. Prepare to meet a legend, buds!"

As they were talking, some Agents who survived the crash either shot the ship in futility with predictable results or just ran away.

Poe and BB-8 land and Finn hugs both tightly. Then Q shakes hands with Poe.

"My name is Q. Big fan of yours, Poe Dameron! By the way, you did a good job calling out Leia."

"Finally, someone who agrees. We will be good friends. And you are..."

"Leah." 

"Finn told me once or twice about you. Mostly as a friend."

"Happy to hear he told you about me!"

Meanwhile, Little Finn and BB-8 are somehow able to understand each other.

The six spend the night together, celebrating their victory over the forces of tyranny. 

In a hideout, the man who did the advertisement with the sword that glows is interested. "They managed to beat the fearsome Dragmires? Impressive! And the black man seems to have the Force. He looks a lot like Finn, the fictional character, to be honest. And the pilot looks a lot like Poe Dameron. 

I can sense plenty of potential. But Finn is still not ready to save the world if he struggles with _these_ challenges. He needs a teacher. I can show him the ways of the Force."

In Coruscant, Rey is waiting. She watches over the statue of herself, Finn and Poe. She decides to call the ace pilot. 

"Poe? Did you find Finn yet?" 

"I did! And he is... happy. But he is now sleeping, he and our new friends fought a hard battle, I helped them a lot."

"Tell him I am sorry. Tell him the Force Bond is weakening. Tell him I..."

"... yeah, you have the Force."

"Tell him that."

The next day, Hardmour is not happy. He lost two of his officers in the attack, and they were pretty useful! "So... Poe is here, too? The bastard wasted two of my best helicopters! 

But I am the Tower of Chaos. And there is only one being I am afraid of. And the Great One will only kill me unless I act. That's it." 

He turns to his troops. "Relax for a day. But, when I tell you, we are going to kill all of these rebels."

Said rebels decide to go shopping. Leah buys only a red dress for herself. Finn is not happy to see no gun shops, but he and Poe still go to an arcade and play House of the Dead. 

"Finn, you told me demons are in charge. Why don't they just ban any game that makes them look bad?"

"If they do so immediately, the people might realize something is wrong."

"So, they will just produce more media that portray them in a positive light? That's more subtle propaganda." 

"Yes. I also heard they will portray us as being in the wrong for things we are in the right."

"I heard of Earth cliches, and these guys might as well twirl their mustaches."

"Not really. They have some goals they consider noble. But our noble goal is to stop them."

Leah and Q are speaking. "Where is your pet, Leah?" 

"Little Finn? Playing with BB-8, who is certainly close to Poe Dameron and Big Finn."

"I have the feeling you treat both Finns as pets and by petting the little one you imagine petting the big one." 

Leah gives him a death glare. "I have life outside of him! I reached Al Astor alone. By the way, I heard there were camps of thieving tribes. What happened?" 

"The Agents, Leah. They killed them like they were animals for food. Not just the men... but the women and the children too. Didn't ask who was the criminal and who wasn't. And then they sent the message that all humans were parasites and the government is saving Earth. Elimination of the rival gangs was a swift way to be the sole power on Earth and gain good publicity. 

And, unlike the Resistance, as you understood, they had no morals between them and their cause."

"I heard they planned genocide of all humans, but then they wanted them for food or something. That said, I heard their god doesn't eat people."

"I am not even sure if their god exists or is just an idol that they use as their morality anchor."

"Frankly, me neither. For some reason, only Finn believes firmly the Great One exists. He also believes that the Great One wants him dead, but I don't know why. Even he doesn't know why."

"Maybe because he is evil?" 

"Can't be. No, there must be a greater motivation about what he does."

Meanwhile, in Turkey, Pan Hancock, the Resistance Champion of Earth, is having trouble. He is on a mission with Commander Saber, his girlfriend Tammy, Dex and another woman with purple hair, Roosia. Dex once called Roosia "Holdo", but she didn't like it and he had to apologize. They also have the help of Johnny P, a veteran.

They went to fight off some Eastern terrorists and defend St.Sophia, but the Dragmire Gang went there first, killed all the terrorists and are going to make the church a temple of their own religion.

"Should we rename it in the true name of the Great One?" 

"No. The people aren't worthy of knowing his true name and, to be honest, I don't really know it either." 

"Alastor?" 

"No, he is our cover! Let's name it after Judas."

"No, no, no! People know who Judas was! We risk getting exposed!" 

"Keep the name it has now?" 

"A Heavenly name? What are we, humans? Angels?" 

Commander Saber approaches. "You are goners!" And he fires his Devastator at the first monsters he spots, blowing them to pieces with one rocket. Then he draws his Plasma Rifle, which is basically a faster and stronger blaster.

Stygians charge at him with their spiked bats and swords. But they are no match for the plasma rifle. Same about the Chebubs and Hellhounds.

Johnny uses vines and Exploding Seeds to fight the monsters. But a vampire attacks him. The two trade a right hook and get knocked down. Johnny might be very strong for a human, but the vampire still gets up first and charges to drink his blood. Johnny uses his green lightsaber and stakes the bloodsucker.

Dex and Roosia use their assault rifles to gun down several Lesser Stygians and some zombie doctors and clowns. A fat zombie throws a barrel at Dex, but he shoots it in mid-air and then guns down the monster. Roosia discovers vampires can shrug off bullets, even from her stronger shotgun, but her bazooka gibs one of them.

Tammy uses her staff to smack two Stygians, but a Stalfos blocks all blows with his sword and shield. So, she switches to her Sledgehammer and with one move smashes the skeleton to a pile of bones. Then she starts shooting at a Chebub, killing it before it spits acid.

Dex has aquired a flamethrower, which he uses when his assault rifle proves too weak and his grenades too slow for a vampire. He remembers his first encounter pretty damn well. 

Pan has managed to get the Sword of Truth strong again, but not truly restore it to its former glory. Still, it cuts through demons and vampires like butter and is coupled with Thunderbolts and his simple pistol for ranged attacks. 

However, the enemy leader, a Fat Minister, who has political power among the Dragmire Gang and is also an officer, sends forth harpies. Pan takes down the first with a Thunder Drop, while Johnny brings two down with his vines and finishes them with his blaster. Commander Saber uses his Airblast Gun to push them back and his sniper rifle to hit one in the head. 

Dex aims at the Fat Minister, but a vampire takes the bullet for him and it does no damage. Then a Harpy snatches the young man up with her feet.

Roosia tries to save him, but the harpy simply flies higher and tightens her grip. Then a Silver Bullet pierces her heart and Dex drops. Nicky appears and manages to catch him. Then she shoots another harpy dead. 

Pan manages to split a Hellhound in two and reaches the Fat Minister. His vampiric bodyguard manages to actually land a punch at Pan's face, but gets staked quickly by the Sword of Truth. The Fat Minister laughs. 

If Pan approaches, the combination of fire and the Minister's Crescent Axe will give him trouble. 

But a black fist emerges through the Minister, who collapses dead. And Kitty appears behind him. "Who knew I would actually get to punch a Fat Minister?" 

"Wow, you punch pretty hard, girl!"

"That was the Megaton Punch, my strongest attack. Who are you?" 

"Pan Hanock. The Pan Hancock." the man responds as he electrocutes a charging Lesser Stygian. 

"You are him? I always wanted to meet you! My name is Kitty!"

"Well, Kitty... we are in trouble."

He says this because the Fat Minister wasn't the strongest enemy. 

Now both warriors have to face a giant blob that is heavily guarded by other blobs. The little ones are the aggressive, armored Hoplites. The big one is known as the mighty Phalanx.

It's two... against an army.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I wrote the ending just to have a scene where Pan and Kitty meet. It would also show why don't all heavy units go to the group this story follows.
> 
> Did you like Poe coming to the rescue?


	5. Dreams

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Finn has some dreams that he can't explain. 
> 
> Pan and Kitty battle the Phalanx. 
> 
> The enemy gets serious.

Pan and Kitty focus on the monster in front of them. "Everybody, stay back! We will deal with this!" 

Pan charges at the Phalanx first, dodging a spear flying at him, and slashes the monster... but the Hoplites are covering all of its body and they die instead. Some Hoplites jump out of the giant blob's body and lunge with their spears. 

Thankfully for Hancock, he is already closer to his prime than he was two months ago, and the Sword of Truth has its holy magic again. So, he slays each Hoplite in one hit. But they are still about twenty, and some more still cover the body of Phalanx. 

Plus, Pan's element is Light, and neither the Phalanx nor the Hoplites are specifically weak to this element. He realizes that when it takes two or three Lighting Bolts to take out a single Hoplite. 

But Kitty comes for help with her Feral Claws, slashing and hacking Hoplites. She also ignites them and fries some soldiers. She gets struck by a spear in the back, thrown by the Phalanx. That's enough for her. She equips her flamethrower and sprays the monster and all its troops. "Burn." 

If there is one element both the Phalanx itself and its Hoplites are weak to, it's fire. Pan makes sure to rush out of the way, running through a Hoplite with the Sword of Truth. 

The Hoplites who are prepared block most of the fire with their shields, while those who aren't prepared are goners pretty quickly. Even the Phalanx itself gets damaged pretty badly. It creates six more Hoplites as a line of defence. 

The formation the Hoplites did helps against their weakness at this moment. They advance towards Kitty with their spears and will impale her if they manage to reach her. But Pan wasn't chosen to stop the Darkness for no reason. "Kitty, stop wasting fuel! Let me have this." 

She listens and he jumps in front of her. "Enough of this. Thunderstorm." He raises his hands in the air and multiple yellow Lighting Bolts fall from the sky! This is one of his strongest attacks, takes some time to cast and leaves his back exposed for a little while... but woe to anyone who is in the front, as this is as strong as four rockets. 

All the Hoplites are destroyed by the attack and the Phalanx is exposed. Pan hurls an frag grenade at the monster, while Kitty gets in Pan's right and sets the Phalanx on fire. The Phalanx is destroyed quite quickly.

Pan and Kitty hug. They have heard of each other and wanted to meet for years.

They didn't expect to meet in a fight.

The next night, Finn has some strange dreams. He is in an ice cream store and has bought chocolate. He also has to buy one of two things. Vanilla or strawberry. He struggles a lot to make a choice. 

He could almost hear the vanilla begging him to take it, saying he was taking vanilla for months. But he could also hear the strawberry saying that the last time the vanilla disappointed him a lot and that the strawberry was far more tasty and never had a bad taste. 

Poor Finn can't make the choice with which he would mix his chocolate. 

And after a while, he was back in the First Order. The dream started awful, as he remembered Phasma yelling at him for not leaving a comrade behind. Then he was back on Jakku and saw the others murder villagers at the orders of Kylo Ren. How could he deserve more sympathy than anyone else in Rey's eyes? Finn is sure someone was affecting her mind. 

He didn't run this time, since Poe escaped. And after his blaster was checked, Phasma started beating him up. But Finn wasn't a meek Stormtrooper anymore. He manages to catch her fist after a little while and twist her arm, breaking it. "This is your officer, Troopers! This is the one who forced you to murder! Look at how pathetic she truly is!" 

He leaves with a TIE, which he somehow manages to pilot. The dream seems not to make much sense. And Finn lands in a new planet, where he must make another choice. On the left, there are gathered many rays of sunshine. Valuable for Finn, who was in dark, lifeless corridors for years and wanted to enjoy the glorious, glorious freedom. 

On the right, there is a lake with a lot of clear water. Finn could wash himself or even drink it. A miracle for every person. But he is warned that he can choose only one of them because the other leaves! 

After struggling with these choices, Finn wakes up. 

He only trusts Poe enough to talk about the dream. 

"Look, glad I escaped in your dream, but I would never meet you then. Also, how did you manage to pilot?" 

"Does it have to make sense? The vanilla and strawberry were talking! And acted as if we knew each other for plenty of time!" 

"Did you drink anything before sleeping?" 

"Nope. Not at all. And I didn't travel in Wonderland, either. Oh, Leah told me about that story. I actually found it... pretty funny. The best part was that queen that reminded me of Hux. 'Off with her head!'"

"I wonder how such insane simpletons rule. They don't seem the guys that would stay in charge for a long time."

"Through fear." 

"I know that someone would rule through fear, but what if someone is too incompetent to fear?" 

"Hux wasn't the best General. But he was ruthless and quite violent. And had some degree of competence. When you are too brainwashed to see through his problems, he looks dangerous. Just like Phasma." 

Leah passes by. "What are you talking about?" 

"Nothing, Leah. It's personal, we are speaking about the Galaxy." 

"Ok. No problem."

Leah has no longer a problem. She used to be really hurt, because nobody in the pack respected her, they all shared their thoughts even involuntarily, without any priavcy, and the packmates still never included her in any conversation. 

With her new friends, it was different. They respected her privacy, but were still willing to talk to her a lot. She has quickly warmed up to Poe Dameron, he is indeed smart and very competent, but also a very loyal friend.

She enjoyed seeing Poe beating Finn at chess, because she played a lot with him and lost seven times out of ten. 

As for Finn, they revealed a lot about each other. She even confessed to him after he saved her from prison. She is happy that she has no mind link with him. Because she still has some things that she doesn't want to tell him. And he has some too, certainly. 

If something is too personal for him to tell her, it doesn't mean he excludes her, it means it's really very personal. It might be about the First Order. It might be about Rey. Did he miss her? It might be about himself and Leah. _Could he love her back?_

"And so, Poe, I had no idea what to choose."

"Yeah... between us, I think I know what the vanilla, chocolate, strawberry, rays and clear water mean. It might be people very important in your life." 

"Who knows? Let's go to the ice cream store. I will take my chocolate with both vanilla and strawberry!"

BB-8 follows his friends as they go to the ice cream store. Leah stays with Q and Little Finn. She feeds the mouse some cheese and then pets his back. "Oh, don't worry, cutie, they will come back." 

Q is working hard. He is writing an article about how monsters exist. And tries to reverse the enemy's propaganda. "Poe Dameron did nothing wrong. He was worthy of becoming the Resistance leader and led the fleet in Exegol to destroy Palpatine's forces.

The government tries to show him as impulsive because they don't want him to rally many people behind him. Don't listen to the lies of the Boar News.

The monsters live between us and we are sleeping. The vampires and werewolves are the most common monsters. Make sure to leave garlic on your windows at nights and close all windows. You don't want vampires to watch your sleep every night."

Leah is standing near him. "You know, Q, people actually believe that's romantic. I remember a girl who used to believe that. Who thought stalking is love. Who, when her abuser left, tried to commit suicide. One of my former packmates fell for her too. And it was an imprint. 

I tried to tell him not to waste time with that idiot. He didn't listen and instead kept treating me like dirt, twice as much because I didn't like that bitch. What's to like in a whiny, self-righteous bitch who would give her humanity to become immortal? 

Between us, when Finn told me Rey kissed the man who kidnapped her and invaded her mind and killed many innocents... I was pissed. It's not just jealousy. I will be clear with you, Q. I want Finn to be happy. When I learned about that, I imagined Finn hooking up with someone like that vampire apologist. 

This is why I act like that when he speaks of Rey. I just don't want her to hurt him again." 

"What happened to that girl, the vampire apologist?" 

"She was rewarded for doing nothing but whine about how humanity is useless. She turned into a vampire and had a very powerful ability, a mind shield. She used it to block some cheap strategies of the Vampire Pope and his men and women. And Aro, the Vampope, left without a fight. 

The vampire woman didn't eat people, but she condoned very much other vampires doing it and even fetched some humans for vampires to drink. She believed humans were hideous, slow, stupid, pathetic insects. After the Fall of Volterra, Finn and I hunted vampires and defended humans. 

But she was a defender of her kind, just like us. One day, she isolated Finn and was about to kill him to feed some of her friends and to protect other vampires from dying and their right to treat humans as cattle. 

She gloated about how he was slow, stupid, weak and human and was going to die because of it. He staked her with his lightsaber while she was gloating. After he killed her, her abusive mate committed suicide. 

God, I hate these supernatural toxic bonds."

"Me too. And I am afraid that bond that supposedly saved the Galaxy was a trick of the Dark One. But, really, we haven't learned who their leader is yet."

"I am afraid it's not going to be easy. Aro was a dangerous enemy and mastermind, and was only the cover of his cover. The enemy has more layers than an onion in their hierarchy." 

Then Finn and Poe, along with BB-8, rush at their friends. "We are in trouble. Big trouble. Monsters. Many monsters are coming." 

Indeed, Hardmour has brought his entire legion with him. His liutenant, a Dinolfos Rex, who is an orange lizardman with a beard and two steel blades, questions this. "Did we have to bring all of our army? We will be exposed!"

"Well, people don't usually see this. Sometimes, it's good to use fear to control the people better. And all our forces small enough to cover our activities can be beaten by the enemy." 

After that last attack, no civilian was dumb enough to stay in the hotel except the team. So, they had the entire hotel for themselves. 

Poe tells the plan. "They are too many and strong. We should make traps to decrease their numbers. If they have air support, don't worry. BB-8 and I will take the air forces head-on. The rest, stay in the hotel. We will need to have the high ground and narrow spaces. We can't fight their ground forces outside."

Indeed, Finn and Q were mostly marksmen. And Leah had enough strength to beat most enemies one by one in a choke point. 

When the enemy forces start climbing towards the hotel, they have to face three giant falling boulders. The front row of undead are crushed to paste.

Some Agents are splattered too. But the Tower of Chaos waits for one of the boulders and breaks it with one punch. The other two are destroyed by Bazooker Boys. Vampires fly at the windows, but Poe has already boarded the X-Wing and uses his blasters to obliterate many of them. However, he has to face a swarm of giant hornets and some Malwraths. 

Q uses his cloak and then draws his sniper rifle, picking off targets one by one. Soon, he has killed five Bazooker Boys among other enemies. Finn also uses his blaster. His training and the Force allow him to fire accurate blaster bolts. Agents and zombies drop dead, along with some of the hornets threatening Poe. 

But when he shoots the Tower, the blaster bolt fails to penetrate his armor. A vampire manages to enter the hotel by breaking through a window and chases Little Finn. The mouse leads him to Leah, who slaughters the bloodsucker in seconds.

Imps and Implings throw fireballs at the hotel and almost bring down the walls. Q is thinning their formation with his sniper rifle. Before the fight, he built a turret drone and now he activates it. It flies in front of the imps and shoots many of them dead, but is destroyed by fireballs. However, it gave Q time to shoot some more Implings and break the formation.

Finn tosses a detonator between some zombies and blows all of them up. A Moblin Archer aims at him with an arrow and almost hits him. Finn retaliates with his blaster and manages to shoot the enemy in the head, but is forced to take cover as Hardmour fires his dual crossbows rapidly. After seeing from where the sniper bullets come, as a Zombie Liutenant falls near him, he uses his second crossbow for cover fire.

A Bull Demon rams the door and smashes it with the first charge. But it gets destroyed by many logs rolling down the stairs, managing to smash only the first three. A Moblin tries to climb the stairs, but Leah has put many banana peels there. 

The Moblin simply decides to pick all of them up one by one, avoiding serious injuries, but wasting a lot of time. Some Agents use the elevator, but when they get out, Leah is waiting with her steel pipe and knocks all of them out. 

Poe spots the Tower threatening his best friend and his biggest fan. He dives straight at Hardmour and fires his proton torpedoes at him. Since the enemy officer doesn't have his tower shield equipped, he gets hit by the full force of the blast. 

He is knocked down and his armor now has some gaps, but he is still alive. And pissed.

Elsewhere, the man with the black hair, who makes advertisements with lightsabers, draws a green one. "It's now or never. It's time for me, Tony, to reveal my glowing sword... so this problem will be no more!"

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Did you like the battle of Pan and Kitty against the Phalanx? 
> 
> What do you think of the dreams?
> 
> Finally, I show you the Tower! Do you like him? Next up I will continue "Don't Tell Me the Odds" or will start "The Fanged God"! (The former is continuing of another fan's work, the latter is for The Dimensional War what the ST is for the OT.)


	6. Battle against a tower

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Rey starts figuring out what caused the dyad. Guilt overcomes her as she becomes her own mistress. 
> 
> Meanwhile, the Resistance confronts the Tower of Chaos and his armies. Can they beat an entire legion of monsters?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This is a climax chapter. Includes the sympathetic antagonist having character development, major fight scenes, new allies and some serious enemies!

In the Castle of Mustafar, Rey looks at her statue of solid lava, sitting on her throne. As Empress Palpatine, she ordered all the Stormtroopers to be led back to their families and punished all the officers who were abusing their soldiers. 

She was disgusted. She was disgusted by her grandfather. He made Snoke. He made Vader. He took Maul from his family and made him a murderer. As she saw the history of the recent Sith Apprentices, she discovered that Kylo was probably the least worthy of sympathy. He had a nice family, he was trained as a Jedi, but wanted selfishly to become like his grandfather. 

His bond with her was completely gone, and she no longer felt the Darkness poisoning her mind. But she was still disgusted with herself. She regrets the way she treated Kylo and Finn. She treated the former with sympathy. She _enabled_ him. She enabled him committing crimes because she saw him shirtless. She was kidnapped, tortured, called "nothing". Yet she kissed him. Out of gratitude, perhaps? For allowing her to live? Who knows? 

As for Finn? He saved her life by taking her hand and she told him not to take her hand. Later he got severely injured defending her from Kylo. Yet she went to Kylo, the manipulative monster, to learn her purpose in life. She didn't survive in the desert or rejected Palpatine by being stupid. Someting must have been controlling her.

That something made her and Kylo a dyad. That something made her push Finn away from her when he did all this effort to help her again without expecting something in return. That something didn't want Finn close to her. But the former Stormtrooper never hurt her. 

Clearly, whatever influenced her didn't want her own good. Was it the blood of her grandfather? He was a monster, and could only fake empathy. 

This night, she didn't sleep well. She had a dream. She had almost forgotten about Leah Clearwater and her wolfpack. They were friends in the Battle of Rome, defending the hills from the demonic government. She also made friends with Kitty and Nicky, two fans of hers. But in this dream, Rey was horrified.

She saw her holding hands with Finn. _Her Finn._ The two were speaking about their adventures on realms Rey never knew they existed, how they met, and Finn said something about Leah snoring and him struggling to sleep in their bed. 

What did Leah say? "Oh, don't worry, Finn! I am not like that monstrous scavenger. I want you to be happy and appreciate you for treating me as a person. I won't just push you away for no reason! So, I will try to get better." 

Rey watched helplessly as Finn and Leah kissed each other in the lips with all the passion she never had with Ben. Their bond was natural. Genuine affection. She tried to stop them, to break the kiss, to look away, but she couldn't. She was helpless, and they weren't even looking at her. 

Only when they finished did Finn look at the Jedi. "Uhm... hi. You look familiar. Do I know you?" 

Rey snapped. "I AM familiar! I am your soulmate! I am Rey! Rey Skywalker! How? How did you forget me for another woman?" 

"She treats me like a person. I do remember you now. And don't blame her for taking me from you. You have nobody to blame but yourself!" 

Rey woke up. She was relieved it was only a dream... but she was very strong in the Force. All her dreams mean something.

Now she feels terrible. She ignites her saber and is about to smash her own statue. But then she remembers that she isn't really a monster. Yes, she did horrible mistakes which seemed to be driven by the Force. But she still fought selflessly to defend the Resistance and innocent civilians. She killed Palpatine with the help of all the Jedi. She refused to hand BB-8 over to Plutt for a good number of portions. 

Unkar Plutt. Her other abuser. She didn't kiss him. Instead, she did what she believed was right. She single-handedly killed him and all his thugs. Then she used lots of her supply to feed the scavengers unconditionally.

No, Rey isn't a monster. 

As she is thinking, Ben's spirit appears. 

"What do you want, Ben?"

"To warn you. I learned what made our dyad, even though it shouldn't have existed. The Dark One made the dyad. All this time, I strived for my free will. And he robbed us both of it! Where is the Traitor?" 

"He left. He learned about the Dyad." 

"Tell him I am sorry for the scar on his back. You deserve better than me, Rey. Find him. Apologize. And yes, I will gain something. He has the potential to destroy the Dark One. The Dark One hurt us. We shall punish him. We shall make him pay. They must not realize I told you the truth. The Force Bond... it was to condone what I once was. It gave them power." 

At that moment, Stygians and Reapers emerge from the ground. Ben grabs Rey by the shoulders. "They know! He knows! Quick! RUN!" 

As Rey runs, Ben draws a blue crossguard saber. 

The Stygians are bloodlusted and numerous. The Reapers have teleport, very strong scythes and the Force in addition. But Ben is both a Solo and a Skywalker. And had a lot of training. He draws a blaster and draws first blood as he shoots a Stygian dead. Then he charges like a wild bull and slashes some more Stygians and even two Reapers. 

A Reaper dodges a saber strike, teleports and uses the Force to pull Ben closer. But Solo uses the Force to freeze the Reaper in return and cut off his head. A Stygian slashes him in the shoulder with his sawblade, but Ben cuts him in half before Force Pushing a Reaper at a wall. "Romantic gifts for all!" 

Rey keeps running, her blaster and saberstaff with her. A lone Stygian stands in her way. He is dispatched off quickly and Rey gets out of the castle. She must find her friends. Her real friends. 

She only wishes for Ben to be able to forgive himself after this deed. And she can't help but smile as she sees a Stygian being thrown out of the tower.

Speaking of towers, on Earth the siege is still going. The Tower tries to destroy Poe with his crossbows, but the X-Wing is too tough to be destroyed by arrows. But the demon's armor and skin is also very durable and survives some more blasts. He raises his tower shield, which actually manages to block the lasers of the ship. The shield has the shape of a huge rectangle, but has a circle drawn in the center, like the Roman ones but thicker. To Poe's surprise, the Tower actually aims the shield at him and the circle glows. 

If Poe didn't realize approximately what the Tower was doing, he, his droid and his ship would have turned to dust. Now he barely manages to dodge the lethal orange beam with some acrobatics. 

Meanwhile, Leah is in her wolf form and fights many Goblins. Her thoughts don't show that she is in danger. "23, 24, 25, 26..." After she kills the last one, she sees three vampires at a big room searching for traps. She pulls her tonque at them and lures them towards a corridor, where she tears them apart one by one.

Finn and Q started firing at the enemies outside again. Q beams with pride as he manages to shoot a Lizalfos in the head and kill him instantly. Lizalfos aren't easy targets. Next is a ReDead. Q really wants to keep these zombies out of the hotel, since they are actually stronger in closed spaces. Two shots and it goes down. Q proceeds to fire at more ReDeads.

Finn guns down the remaining Imps and fires at some Moblin Archers. Bazooker Boys fire two Shock Rockets at the hotel, threatening to blow it up! But Finn shoots both in mid-air and then shoots all remaining Bazooker Boys dead. 

A squad of Moblins goes for Finn's side and passes through a corridor. Little Finn chews some ropes holding some big spiky balls. They fall on top of the Moblins and smash them to pieces. But a green one manages to escape and encounters a locked door. He uses his spiked bat to smash through the door and ecounter Finn, who shoots him dead with his blaster without even looking! 

"The Force is awesome!" Finn shouts as he uses it to lift the broken pieces of the door and launch them at the undead below. Some Moblins and Stalfos save themselves by raising their shields. Other enemies aren't so lucky.

But the government has its own little tricks. Namely, the common zombies are all dead, but they were just cannon fodder. Now the ghouls are coming. They are a bright purple variety of undead who are faster and much stronger than normal zombies and explode on death. Finn manages to gun down the first one and the explosion also takes a Moblin who was turtling with his shield. Other new enemies are the Zombie Security, who have energy shields and blasters or Riot Batons, the Zombie Commandos with their chainguns and the flying manta rays who fire stings from their tails for air support. 

The Dinolfos Rex manages to enter the hotel and avoid all the traps easily. When logs come at him, he breathes a powerful stream of fire and burns all of them. Then he dodges a floor that has many spikes by simply jumping over it and uses his strength to break through locked doors and other barriers. 

But he is not playing in his field. And so, he has to check every corridor for enemies or traps. And he still gets hit first, as a big gray wolf lunges at him faster than the human eye can see. 

The Dinolfos Rex fights against the wolf inside the corridor to a standstill. But after three rounds, the wolf realizes she can't beat him in a tight corridor, she needs mobility. She alrady got hit twice by the monster's swords and she sees flames gathering in his mouth. So, she runs at another room as he breathes a hot stream of fire in front of himself. 

"You think you are smart, despicable animal? I will burn you to a crisp!" And he starts chasing her. She might have super speed even for a werewolf, but he is still quite fast, faster than any normal human or even Lizalfos. He only stops to breathe fire everywhere he looks at. 

Elsewhere, as Finn shoots two Malwraths in the eyes, making them fall, a manta ray fires a magic sting from its tail and hits him in the chest. It's stronger than a bullet or a blaster bolt, but still not enough to kill Finn.

They aren't the only ones in the doghouse. Ben Solo has killed most of the enemies, but two Reapers Force Push him into a wall. He pulls one closer with the Force and punches him before stabbing his throat, but the other Reaper teleports close to him and strikes his ribs with his skythe, breaking one of them. Then he goes for the head, but Ben parries with his saber and then cuts him in half. 

He is injured. Tired. And his new enemy is a Grim Reaper. Instead of dark blue, he wears dark green. He can summon small fireballs, use his scythe as a boomerang, is much stronger in the Force than his Reaper underlings and can make his scythe glow for a stronger attack. He also can summon zombies and has all the old abilities of the Reapers. 

Ben isn't afraid. He is already dead. He gets his human colors back, having shed the blood red of the Darkness. He has nothing to lose. He is doing this for the Galaxy. _For Rey._

The Reaper points at him. "Your soul... it belongs to me!" 

Ben stares him in the glowing eyes. "Come and get it!"

And with a fierce battlecry he charges at the Reaper. The Grim Reaper fires a Little Fireball, but Ben freezes it in mid-air and uses the slide he learned from his father to dodge the attack altogether. He attacks ferociously, but the enemy blocks all the attacks effortlessly. The Grim Reaper retaliates with a flurry of blows, but Ben blocks them. The last one still knocks him down. Ben knows that even if he loses, he will give Rey time. She is safe thanks to him. She must be! 

He performs a two-handed strike, but the Reaper teleports behind him and uses the Force to pin him in a wall. Then he darts close to him and attacks, but Ben parries and the weapons clash. The Grim Reaper uses the blade of his scythe and digs it in Ben's shoulder. But Ben is no slouch and he still can fight. With all his strength, he pushes the hooded figure back and slashes him in the right shoulder, the good arm.

The Grim Reaper growls. "You hurt me, traitor. Hurting me was a mistake. And mistakes get punished!" 

He teleports behind Ben, scythe glowing red, and slashes his back with the scythe where the spinal cord was, knocking him out. Then he destroys the spirit with a touch... who, with this final sacrifice, goes to the Purgatory.

The Grim Reaper won the duel... but Ben helped win the war.

Meanwhile, Hardmour uses his crossbows and manages to distract the ace pilot. A Malwrath spits a ball of electricity at Poe and manages to damage one wing. As BB-8 starts repairing the wing, Poe turns to the Malwrath and gibs it. Then he dodges another destructive beam. 

Leah has managed to lure the Dinolfos Rex in a hall where she has way wider space to attack the warrior. However, four Moblins are already waiting with spears.

She quickly leaps from Moblin to Moblin. If she doesn't take them out first, they will backstab her in her duel. After she takes them all out, having a slight spear wound, she changes into a human and equips her steel pipe to fight. 

She charges and deals rapid strikes. The Dinolfos Rex is very experienced and has two weapons and twice the skill, but he lacks a lot in speed and fails to block all the strikes. He gets hit thrice before breathing a stream of fire in front of him, wounding Leah heavily.

Then he does a vertical strike at her head, but she blocks it quickly and manages to block a gut stab coming at her. Then she kicks him in the stomach and strikes his face twice with the pipe. But he only flinches and hits her with a tail swipe, tripping her, before slashing her with his sword.

Leah is bleeding, but she growls in anger before drawing her stake. She uses the pipe for an one-handed swing. The Dinolfos Rex parries the blow, but Leah digs the stake in his chest. Then she uses both hands for an overhead swipe, but the monster ducks and performs a backflip. Then he spits a stream of fire at Leah, but she dodges by rolling sideways. The reptilian makes a charge with both swords, but she dodges that too, gets behind him, grabs his tail and throws him to a wall. She turns into a werewolf again and pounces at the monster, managing to finally kill him. She didn't feel as proud as now when she saved Finn from Chelsea.

Finn can't help her. Because he is busy taking on the incoming hordes. He manages to blow up a Ghoul right next to Hardmour and kills all the giant wasps coming at him, Q and Poe. Meanwhile, Q sees Poe surrounded by three mantas and manages to shoot all of them dead with his sniper rifle. Another manta spots him and aims... but Poe repays the favor. BB-8 repairs the damage and Poe is effectively fighting off the swarms... 

But Hardmour uses his head. He aims a crossbow at the cockpit and strikes home! Now Poe has trouble seeing and has to land between the enemy forces. He does so, on top of a Zombie Security. Even though both he and BB-8 are competent even on land, that would be the end of both, since they still face almost a hundred enemies on even grounds...

But then a car arrives. And a man with black hair arrives. He draws a green lightsaber. "Need a hand, Oscar?" 

"My name is Poe. Poe Dameron. And yes, I do need a hand." 

"Get inside. I will deal with all of them." 

Poe does so, but can't help shoot two Zombie Security in their defenceless backs, putting them down. Then he also shoots a Moblin dead, but a vampire woman pins him down. "Oh, you must be General Dameron. I will enjoy sucking you dry. Your blood will keep me..."

BB-8 uses his torch and burns the bloodsucker to ash.

"Thanks, buddy!" Poe repays the favor by spotting an Agent aiming at his beloved droid and shooting him first. Finn and Q cover their retreat at the hotel, allowing them to get to the narrow corridors where they can defeat the remaining enemies there. 

Toni, the man with the green saber, taunts the remaining enemies. He uses the Force to lift heavy rocks and throws them at the enemy troops, killing plenty of them. Then he blocks the blaster bolts of the Zombie Security and some Agents before taking them out with the Force. 

The Tower roars ferociously. "You are not a Jedi! You are just someone who uses a lightsaber on television and thinks he is great. While I? I beat Poe Dameron!"

"Barely."

The Tower of Chaos responds with a storm of arrows, but Toni deflects all of them using his mightiest Force Push. But he forces Hardmour to take only one step back. Three Stalfos rush the human, but he cuts them to pieces with his lightsaber before dodging some more arrows. 

"Is that all you've got?" 

Hardmour raises his shield and aims at Toni. He uses his devastating beam again, and the human barely blocks with his saber, but gets disarmed and the impact knocks him down. Then an arrow hits him in the chest. 

Q acts. "This is for Poe Dameron!" He shoots Hardmour in the back of the neck, wounding and distracting him.

Five Zombie Commandos and Hardmour fire at Q, but blaster bolts start injuring the elite soldiers. Finn manages to kill two, while Toni backstabs one more and decapitates the last two. Only he and Hardmour remain out of the hotel. 

Finn sees Poe gunning down Moblins in a corridor. But there is also a Lizalfos who is about to breathe fire at the ace pilot. Finn shoots him in the back and then draws his lightsaber. He manages to beat the Lizalfos in two rounds. "And it was going to become rusty." 

Toni slashes at Hardmour's left leg, but even he fails to penetrate the shield.

The Tower blocks a flurry of saber slashes and then charges forward with his shield, giving the human a hard shove. Toni retaliates with a Force Push and knocks him back. Then he sends boulders from behind him. As Hardmour turns and crushes or blocks all of them, Toni jumps and impales him with his lightsaber. Then he slides down to the ground, dragging the saber with him and leaving a long scar for the monster. But the Tower of Chaos gives him a very hard punch, drawing blood. Then he smacks him with his tower shield and follows with a strong kick.

"I am the Tower of Chaos! There is no way you can beat me!"

Toni tries to get up, but Hardmour stomps his foot and causes a quake! The ground has cracks now. Q shoots him once more. Hardmour uses a crossbow and shoots the bullet in mid-air.

The Jedi ignites his saber and cuts off one of the Tower's legs! Then he quickly decapitates him.

"Towers belong to the past. And you too." 

Meanwhile, Leah has healed from her severe wounds and the two Finns reach her. "Leah! Are you fine?" 

"I am ok, Finn. I did it. I beat an officer by myself. You?" 

"I am proud of you, Leah! You are a true warrior! As for me, sorry I couldn't help. But Poe was in trouble. They were too many... Q had no rapid fire... Poe is my best friend... I couldn't protect you." 

Leah strokes his face. "Don't worry, Finn... I did manage to handle myself. You didn't do anything wrong. Think that your best friend and his droid are safe now. You did a good job, Finn. Be happy. This will make me happy." 

And the two embrace each other tightly. Finn didn't hug someone with this passion since he saw Rey in the Battle of Crait. 

Then Little Finn sqeaks, wanting a hug too. Leah picks him up with both hands and starts cuddling him. "Oh, and thanks for keeping my little one safe!" 

"Your little one actually saved me by activating a trap. He defeated a squad of Moblins and only one managed to reach me. I was hearing the sound of the spiked balls. That sole Moblin was no match for me."

Leah kisses Little Finn's back. "Thank you for keeping my Finnamon Roll safe!"

She proceeds to gently rub the mouse's little body. 

Toni enters the hotel. After Poe thanks him, the Jedi greets all of them. Then he turns to Finn.

"I sense the Force in you. I feel potential inside you. Great potential. You have the spirit of a true Jedi. You want to help others. You show the power of free will. 

This is why I decided to train you. What I killed is far from the top of the enemy hierarchy. Beating him did save your lives, but will result in much stronger enemies noticing you. 

I offer you a chance to win the war." 

Finn gives him his hand. "I accept."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Shoutout to Finnreyfitzmonshipper, who knows and loves both Finn and Leah! 
> 
> Also, Phoebe_Snow deserves a mention, since I told her about Ben's last stand... she actually rooted for the Grim Reaper! The Rey angst in the beginning may interest you, btw.
> 
> JediBatman deserves a mention too, bc his second request happened! Now the team is full! We have Finn of All Trades, Leah who provides strength and velocity, BB-8 and Little Finn, the Team Pets who can help the heroes, Q the sniper and gadget guy, Poe the pilot and strategist and Toni the mentor! 
> 
> No, Ben vs the Grim Reaper isn't plagiarising. It mirrors Finn vs Kylo in TFA. Kylo went from the Reaper to Finn. Also, he deserved being called a traitor and getting slashed in the back. Edit: Looks like the Grim Reaper is becoming popular for fighting Ben! 
> 
> Next chapter will not have as much action, but will have more Finn/Leah (Stormwolf?) and some Jedi training because our hero needs it. Did Hardmour put up a good fight? 
> 
> Originally I planned to make Rey her own villain, but she alternated between being a Palpatine and being a Jedi in the end. I decided to make it a struggle between her good self and the Corruption inside her. I was afraid I would indulge in A LOT of bashing for Rey, because some things she did under the Dyad were vile. Seriously, use her TROS self if you are a girl to see what choices to avoid.
> 
> Please leave me feedback!


	7. Secrets and Scars

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Leah and Finn are now very close friends. But they still don't know everything about each other. What will be their reaction when they learn some of each other's deepest secrets? 
> 
> Meanwhile, the two have to train. They won a major battle with friends by their side, but they only caused a minor setback to the enemy and the war is still raging!

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This chapter is mostly a break, world building and plot. I hope I will do a good job to satisfy my tiny number of fans! (That said, I have no complaints about quality, you are all great!)

A month has passed since the battle.

Poe, Q and Toni, along with BB-8, are in a bar and watch football. 

Toni is bored. "I don't really care about what will happen. Half of these matches aren't fair, the owners of the teams cheat a lot. Referees get money, and some of these owners are even drug dealers. That said, the government steps on corruption very hard. I heard something about that drug dealer trying to bribe a Fat Minister, those idiots with the funny hats, you know, and the Minister executed him because only the government could deal drugs like the Lotus now. But these are rumors. I suspect they are true, but I should stop talking. They have spies everywhere."

"What should we do, guys, when the match is over?" 

"Well, Q, we can hit on some girls, beat up some robbers, or just drink."

Toni is curious. "Speaking of girls, I am not interested in Leah, but how come neither of you tried to hit on her?" 

Q leaves a chuckle. "Did you see the way she looks at your apprentice? Also, I am surprised a Jedi would hit on girls."

"The old Jedi code was really fucking stupid, Q. It's partially to blame for the monster that was Vader. Of course, Anakin wasn't blameless. He was naive, hotheaded, arrogant." He turns to Poe. "Anyone who says you are a hothead seriously hasn't seen Anakin or read about him."

"Indeed. I knew exactly what I was doing when I ordered assault on the Dreadnought. That thing was too powerful, it destroyed a base in one hit. If we let it follow us, it would not take Kylo Ren to destroy us, and we would have no time to escape."

Q nods his head approvingly. "Indeed. If you ask me, even your mutiny made sense, Holdo could have been a traitor."

"Yet she was not, Q. She just was too obssessed with secrecy. Well, I did lead the Resistance to its victory against Palpatine... My fleet blew up many planet busters that day, and I managed to rally the entire Galaxy. Yeah, I know Finn truly beat the enemy General, Pryde, outsmarted and killed him, crippling his fleet... but who gave the promotion to him?"

"The only guy who kicks his ass at chess!"

"You are salty about not being that guy, eh Q?" 

"No. I am salty about us having three draws in a row at shooting. But I still excel with gadgets! So it's all ok!"

"To be fair, even at shooting, you two have differences. You are better for stealth and undercover, he is better in an open fight. But of course nobody beats me at flying!" 

Toni is amused. "You are talking in front of the best in the Force, you know that?" 

In a corner, a couple looks at the three men and the droid. The woman makes a call. "Found three allies of the Resistance. No, make them four. They seem to be drunk as they say the skills of each other too openly. Yes, 300 gold pieces. Goodbye, and may the Dark purify the world!"

Not all humans hated the Black Legion. In fact, the Agents were all volunteers and essentially an army of collaborators. But, apart from them, there were some people who, both for money and ideology, supported the Agents or even the Black Legion itself. In addition, there were actual monsters masquerading as people and trying to blend in. 

Elsewhere, Finn and Leah exit an ice cream store. Leah has bought two balls of chocolate ice cream and licks them slowly in front of Finn. Her eyes are also closed as she keeps licking the chocolate balls. 

Finn feels uncomfortable. "Leah, not in front of anyone else!" 

"But I am just enjoying a chocolate ice cream!"

"Yeah. This isn't even subtle! If you wanted to be more subtle, you could buy one ball only!" 

"One ball would end much more quickly. And I want to enjoy ice cream for a long time!" 

"Why not three then?" 

"Too many. I want to be fit for fights!"

After they get inside the hotel, they keep playing their little game. "Leah, if you were a succubus, how would you enjoy the ice cream?" 

"I heard succubi shove the entire thing into their mouths. Vampires can't eat ice cream, they are overgrown mosquitoes. Angels would probably have a different diet. And they would certainly not try to seduce anyone!"

"Have you ever met an angel, Leah?" 

"No. Did you expect me to call you an angel? You are handsome and virtuous, but you are still a human!" 

"No. I am ok as a human! After all, I have flaws. When I left, I was competent... but not invincible." 

He removes his shirt and exposes his bare back to Leah. Her ogling is followed by an open mouth. "Finn! What is this?" 

"Oh, you mean the scar? Heh. Remember that abusive fucker whom Rey kissed? Who tortured poor Poe and ordered the slaughter of countless innocents? Who ursuped his master, kidnapped Rey and called her "nothing"? Well, I have got THIS defending her from him! I still slashed the asshole in the shoulder though... few aknowledge this."

"And she... went to him instead of you to find herself?"

"Yes."

Leah kisses his scar. He twitches a bit as Leah strokes his back. "Afterlife is fair, I heard. Don't worry. I am pretty sure he did pay for his actions in the end. You know something, Finn? We all fail. My rebellion against Al led to failure. I was arrested, and despite the damage I did hardly anything permanent. But here we stand. We are both survivors. We are both warriors. We survived abuse, being neglected, lies, fights... 

Do you feel weak because you failed once? Don't worry, Fleet Killer. You are not weak. You crippled the strongest fleet of spaceships in history without even flying a ship. And I still remember how you fought the Silver Moblin. These things scared werewolves. And seeing one of them dead boosted my confidence a lot. And the Volturi! You really saved my life there!"

"You too, Leah. We saved thousands together. And not only by taking out Aro! Remember that guy who fucked up history to have teenage girls as sex slaves?" 

"Oh yeah! I also remember the succubus who tried to rape and eat him as punishment for his horrid crimes. She was tough. Good thing we beat both her and the disgusting pedophile." 

"I enjoyed shooting that bastard in the nuts if you ask me. Descendant of Oda Nobunaga my ass, Oda would beat me even if I fought seriously. With that idiot I didn't even use half my strength and armory!" 

"You have a tendency to shoot rapists in the nuts, you know..."

"They are rapists! Gimme a break!" 

"I didn't say you stop it."

"Oh. Also, about history fuckers, remember when we were sent back in time? We had to save Camelot from a sick and twisted version of Avalon. And I thought Morgana would be much more dangerous, you know super witch and all." 

"Well, THAT version we faced was even more vile, Finn, but at least she knew only love potions, incest and rape. People who struggle to cast a fireball are easy for us."

"In retrospect, the rapist called Q might have been the worst. Not only was he a brute, he also shared the name with our sniper and engineer, who is a good person! But did you really have to snap his apologist's neck, Leah?" 

"Trust me, I was doing her a favor. She thought only about worshipping that bastard." 

"Now you remind me of the former vampire apologist. The one I staked mid-gloating. You said your former Alpha fell for her newborn daughter?" 

"Yes. And everyone found it romantic except me."

"I am surprised you kept your sanity. Speaking of children, did you ever want to have some, Leah?" 

Leah's face darkens. Her smile is gone.

"I... I am afraid I can't do that. For some reason, maybe that I am a werewolf, I am sterile. And this did bother me initially. But I stopped caring long ago." 

Leah puts her hands in Finn's cheeks. "I am sorry, Finn. I really wanted to make a family after the war... to be loved by someone. Seeing you loving me the way I am, always trying to risk your life for people you hardly know... will you accept me as a friend, even with all my flaws?" 

"Of course, Leah. You are not abusive and you don't romanticise abuse. What's not to like?"

"As family? We are different species, and I can't have children."

"Doesn't matter, Leah. As you said, we all have flaws. Look at you. You were called destructive and a worthless werewolf every day, by your old pack. Yet, you stood up for yourself, for your kind, for humanity. You left that pack. They were not your family. A family treats you as a person. A family loves you. And I would like to be family with someone who has so much humanity."

And the two hug. Then Leah turns to Little Finn and picks him up, nuzzling her cheek against his. "By the way, Finn, isn't our pet very ticklish?" Leah starts tickling his belly as the mouse struggles helplessly.

Meanwhile, Poe, Toni and Q are fighting Agents. BB-8 electrocutes one Agent, which makes the other agents chase him. The round droid leads them to a corridor where Q aims carefully and shoots the Agents dead one by one. But a SWAT Thug reaches BB-8 with his axe... Only to be struck with electricity and then scorched. A shot in the shin finishes him off.

Poe faces a block of agents and fires his blaster at them. They are five, but he manages to shoot all of them without getting shot. But a Bulletproof Bully emerges and aims his magnum... only to get shot in the chest! The armor mitigates the damage and the black Agent doesn't even flinch. He manages to shoot Poe with his magnum, wounding him, but Poe finishes him with a headshot. 

Toni uses his saber to fight off four SWAT Thugs at once. Thankfully for him, his lightsaber can penetrate their shields, or he would be in trouble. He uses the Force to push two back and with a spin he cleaves the other two in half. Then he lands a flying kick at the third one, dodges a swipe of his nightstick and cuts off his legs. The last one swings his axe and barely misses Toni, who guts him with his saber. Then he senses Poe wounded, but still fighting off enemies. Toni rushes to reach him. A Light Tank blocks his way, so Toni uses the Force and flips it upside down. Next up are two bald Agents who fire at him with their pistols. Toni takes cover and with the Force he throws heavy objects at them. He takes them out, but a grenade is coming straight at him! He stops it with the Force and sends it back, blowing up two enemies. 

Poe guns down another Agent and dodges two bullets by taking cover behind a wall. He fires again, but misses by inches. From the other corner two more Agents come. Poe shoots the first one dead, but the second shoots him in the knee before getting dispatched. Poe can't last much longer. With his ship, he was nearly invincible, but on foot, he is good but not exceptional. Especially when already shot by a Magnum. Toni enters the fray and quickly takes out the two Agents. Then he reaches Poe and removes the bullets. "It's a miracle you still live. That armor of yours did a good job. Now you are only injured, not dead." Toni uses the Force and heals Poe completely. 

Soon, the Resistance is united again. "Poe, why didn't you call us? We could kick their asses easily!" Finn asks immediately.

"Didn't want to interrupt your date. And it was only collaborators, no monsters. We still won with no casualties."

The next day, Finn is being trained by Toni. The latter throws a metal bar at the former. "Four pieces. Good job. The first time, you managed only two and barely hit it. You did have some training, but not enough. You are still no Jedi, you need to cut it to seven pieces."

"How much to beat the Dark One?"

"From the rumors, he is beyond even the Jedi. Maybe twenty."

"WHAT?"

"Well, he has underlings who can beat a Jedi easily. And they are scared of him. But don't be afraid. You can do even better."

Finn first has to shoot a target in a kilometer blindfolded. He easily scores a bullseye. 

Then he fights the training sphere. Force, how many times did he lose to that thing? He uses his saber to deflect the bolts and the Force to sense the attacks and movements of the droid. He hears the song of the Force and is practically dancing, dodging and blocking bolts and attacking with rhythm. And he hits the droid! "Whoo! Finally got it!"

"You started getting good. After another basic lesson, we will learn more advanced things. Now, lift these crates one by one and put them to the other side."

"Yes, Master." 

Meanwhile, Leah is training herself. She passes through an obstacle course, which involves spikes and fake guilotines. After jumping over a pool which has three meters of length, she leaves a sigh of relief. But Little Finn chews some ropes and sends round rolling rocks at her. She gets ready and punches them with speed and precision. Each successful punch shatters a rock to pieces. However, the rocks are too many. One manages to hit her. 

"Damn. Now I have to start the course again. Oh well." 

Finn managed to carry all crates. Toni ignites a practice saber. "You think you are the best now, Padawan? Time to face a real master!" 

Finn charges at him like a bull, but all his hits are parried. Toni attempts a disarming strike, but Finn blocks it. The master doesn't lose composure, instead he fakes an opening. Finn takes the bait and Toni parries in the last second before slashing Finn in the chest. "Nice try. Surrender?"

"No!" Finn gets up and charges again, but Toni jumps sideways and performs a leap attack. Finn barely blocks with both hands and is forced in one knee, but manages to push Toni back. He goes for a spin, but his master stops it easily and manages to easily disarm him with a strong hit straight at the weapon. Then he does a slight jab at him. "See? You are strong, but still not ready for a fight against a truly dangerous enemy. Now..." He points at the crate. "Bring this. It's full of weapons. With the Force."

Finn easily does so. 

Toni smiles. "Finn, you do have the potential to be something great! But you see, just lifting objects won't make you a Jedi. I didn't choose to train you because you crippled a fleet. I did this because of your empathy. Too much power without empathy is worthless for a Jedi. Power becomes purpose. Sheev Palpatine was smart, but he never learned that lesson. His own lust for power consumed him. Now, let's learn the first advanced technique. Force Healing."

"No, master. This technique... This is a power of abuse apologists!"

"No, Finn. No. I understand why you are angry. I saw the legends. But the power itself is pure good. It's useful to help your friends."

"And your enemies! And your kidnappers! And the people who don't see you as a person!"

"Don't blame the powers. Blame the people. I understand. The man who forced you to kill people and got the sympathy people like you deserve got healed and you didn't. I do believe some evil force made that dyad... You knew something was wrong yourself, otherwise you would confront her about the change in attitude. But, as I said, you can use this power to help people who truly need it." 

The two are on the streets and see a sick little puppy. "Finn, this is the first being you will heal. Remember, no evil has power over you. You can use healing for good!"

Finn struggles. "I can't!" 

Toni steps forward and extends his arm. "You need to sacrifice a little life force. This power needs selflessness. Needs empathy." Immediately, the puppy, which couldn't even stand up before, starts bouncing happily and licking Toni. 

"Wait... Why can't I do this then?"

"Because empathy is necessary, but not enough. It also needs practice, some life force to spare and to have a clear mind. If the technique is scarring you mentally, then you will have a lot of trouble using it."

Meanwhile, Leah howls in triumph as she manages to pass the course at her third try.

The warriors have achieved a lot. However, the war has not even begun! Or has it? Recently, the supply of Lotus was crippled thanks to a team of agents known as S.I.T., who also managed to kill one of the most brutal Senators. Said Senator was behind Raziel and Brie, and also founded Sterk and the government to kill people she didn't like. She attempted to sexually assault one of the agents, who shot her in retaliation. Pan led a group of elite rebels and they started liberating Heaven. The Tikis are being forced in the defensive. In other dimensions, battles already started. 

Finn and Leah know that their team didn't do plenty, but... As part of something bigger, they might stand a chance. 

Q approaches them after they all get united. "The final enemy base is in Crete. We take it out, Greece is mostly free."

"Let's do this." everyone else responds.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> What do you think of the revelations? Or the Jedi training?
> 
> Edit: I did a big, BIG fuck-up. Finn speaks in two brackets in a row and so, basically, Finn and Leah's speeches were reversed. Fixed. 
> 
> Got complaint that this fight scene is a bit dry. Sure is, bc it's an afterthought. If anyone wants a BIG fight scene, previous chapter has one! Or even two! Ben's Last Stand is a fight that's supposed to be meaningful. This one is a routine mission. But maybe I can still improve it...
> 
> Yes, Finn and Leah are enemies of bad writing in this fic and kill vile Sues and Stus. Hey, bad writing and bad morality attacked first!
> 
> Finn did tell her about the scar first in "Path of a Rebel", but neither remembers it because they had a long time apart and had to struggle against very big threats. Also, only now does she learn the true meaning of the scar and how painful it really is.


	8. The way to Crete

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> A rapist's accomplice and slaver wants revenge.
> 
> The rebels have to see the full extent of the government's propaganda.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Because the news aren't the only way to demonize people you don't like!
> 
> Features a little Stu hunting and some POVs from all the sides. The heroes, the villains and the sympathetic antagonists!

"So, the enemy has a base on Crete? Interesting!" Poe replies. "You say we can free this country for good if we win?" 

"Yes, General."

"It's just Poe for you, Q. Sadly, my X-Wing can transport only myself and BB-8. I will see the rest of you later. Tell me when you reach the destination and I will tell you where I am then." 

Poe boards his X-Wing and so does BB-8. The two leave. The rest have to decide how to go...

Q finds the solution. "Let's use my car! We will go via ship!" 

"Good idea!"

As they go fetch their car, they are stopped by a muscular man with a gun. His name is Franco. 

"You two! You are the ones who killed my boss!"

Finn and Leah are puzzled. "Whom?" 

"Don't you remember my master? Q? He was rich, and had many girl servants! You killed him! You killed him, his maid and all his bodyguards! He gave me a job!"

Q chuckles. "I am alive. Never needed a maid. And these two are my friends. While I don't even know you."

Franco glares at him. "The real Q knows me very well. I am Franco, his chief employee. I trade women. If you were really Q, you would know. Don't you remember the fifty-eight girl servants you had?" 

Q raises his rifle. "I am another Q. And I never had one sex slave, so not fifty-eight by a mile. And I don't appreciate that scumbag having my nickname. Go fuck yourself, Franco."

"I don't care if you have his name or not. The negro killed him by shooting his testicles. After I kill him, I am killing his bitch and then y..." 

Finn shoots him in the left shoulder. Franco yells in pain and fires a bullet. Faster than the human eye can see, Leah acts. With tremendous speed, she takes the bullet, which causes her only a slight wound, dashes at the slaver and kills him with rapid punches. "This is for what you've done to all those women!"

"Damn it, Leah, I wanted to kill him!"

"You should have been faster. Come on, these Force Lessons didn't do a good job!"

Finn lifts the corpse using the Force. "They did a good job, Leah! And you know, it's a little hard to be faster than you."

"Oh, don't worry, we could train in a speed course!"

"We could. We could also train in target practice with guns!"

"Fuck you!" 

Much later, the humans, the werewolf and the mouse are inside Q's car, approaching a port. "We are going to Crete today! Let's chew bubblegum and kick ass, boys!"

"First, I am not a boy. Second, we have no bubblegum!"

Q turns at Leah. "Oh well, let's kick ass!" 

They put "Stayin' Alive" on the radio. 

Finn can't help but chuckle. "This could be the theme of Darth Maul!"

"Seriously, how did he survive that?" Q asks.

Toni finally speaks. "Never underestimate the power of piss-poor writing. I do suspect it has to do something with our enemies, though... after all, they did make bonds between people not made for each other!" 

Finn and Leah turn to him. "So... they really are behind the imprints?" 

"Through the Force, I sensed their mark on them. These bonds suck free will out of people. They make them weak and pathetic. But I don't know how or why." 

As they advance, they pass through houses with invisible messages on the walls. "FREE WILL IS A MYTH."

"HUMANS ARE PARASITES"

"OBEY"

"COMPASSION IS WEAKNESS. ABUSE APOLOGISM IS STRENGTH!" 

"IF YOU HURT A GENOCIDAL MURDERER IN SELF-DEFENCE BECAUSE HE WANTED TO USE YOU, APOLOGIZE"

"PEOPLE WHO TRULY CARE ABOUT YOU CALL YOU A NOBODY. THEY DON'T DEFEND YOU WITH THEIR LIVES"

"HELPING INNOCENTS IS SELFISH. HELPING THE GUILTY IS HEROIC."

The rebels reach the port and get a ship. They watch television, where it plays a cartoon. 

Finn and Leah are not amused when they see the villains. The Big Bad of the cartoon is a guy dressed in all black, who has a big top hat, a constant evil grin and a handlebar mustache which he twirls. He is black, uses a blaster and is called Finn. 

He hates the supernatural bonds between abusers and victims because he is an evil person and hates love, and these bonds according to the show are the truest of love.

He also has a giant grey wolf by his side. The narrator describes the wolf as...

"A savage monster who roams at nights and murders innocent people for food."

Leah starts cracking her knuckles. "I only kill bloodsuckers, slavers and rapists!" she thinks.

"The wolf takes orders from the heinous villain without any question..."

Leah's POV

Yeah, I am pretty sure they didn't see me arguing with Finn about plans and calling him out every time he does something stupid.

"... will murder at the slightest provocation..."

If I want to make an asshole pay, I sometimes do it with words. 

"... was kicked out of its pack for always causing trouble..."

And not because they were a bunch of abusers and pedophiles and belittled me all the time for disagreeing with them and being a girl.

"... and does the nasty with its master."

First of all, I am a she. Second, we haven't done it yet. At least they don't say anything about rape, because we do respect each other's consent. 

Third person POV

Q can't help but laugh as he sees the mustache-twirling villain kidnapping a damsel and tying her up to the railroad tracks. The villain rubs his hands and cackles.

"Mwahahahahahaha! Now all I have to do is to watch as the worthless woman goes splat!" 

But then, a hero emerges. The charming prince, Charles of Moria, charges with his horse and frees the girl, who kisses him. But Finn sics his evil wolf at Charles. Charles dodges the first lunge and draws his sword, slashing the wolf's back. But Finn fires his blaster at him. 

The prince blocks the blaster bolts with his shield and with a lightning bolt zaps the bad guy. 

The mustache-twirling villain and his wolf run away.

"CURSES! YOU FOILED MY PLANS AGAIN, CHARLES OF MORIA! ONE DAY, I WILL DESTROY YOU AND THE WORLD! MUHAHAHAHAHAHA!"

At this point, the actual Finn starts laughing too. At the stupidity of all of this. "Not even actual villains sound like this. Also, why the mustache? I don't get it. At all."

The cartoon shows Charles doing other feats. He manages to beat ten Octorocks with one swing of his axe. He lifts an one-ton boulder with a single finger. And ladies watch him with admiration. 

"He is the strongest, bravest, smartest hero of all!"

"And remember, kids" Charles turns to the screen "if someone abuses you, calls you nobodies and tries to limit your free will, these people are very good for you. Trust them with your life, they do everything out of love!" 

Leah throws up at the floor immediately. "Does he even try to hide his evil?" 

Toni closes her mouth. "You were not there when we were talking too much. Thankfully we had no liabilities, or some of us would die."

Meanwhile, on Crete, Poe and BB-8 have arrived. They see a group of punks who have pistols and knives struggling to beat some Agents. The Agents didn't seem so scary to the hardened fighters of the Resistance, because they had good gear and training. 

But to a group of normal punks, they were terrifying. The Agents have training almost in the level of military, good guns which they knew how to use, some quite dangerous units and quite good organization. 

An Agent manages to shoot two punks in their heads before he gets shot dead himself. Another anarchist tries to gut an Agent with his grandfather's knife, but gets axed to death for his trouble. 

A SWAT Thug uses his assault rifle and with just one round he mows down three enemies. His armor manages to endure a shot and he shoots his attacker too. Two more Agents take cover behind cars and trees, and one of them throws a grenade. 

Poe realizes the deliquents have no chance to beat the Agents. But _he_ does have a chance, and decides to help them. First, he ambushes the two Agents who are covered, while BB-8 burns another enemy with his torch and rolls to dodge some bullets. Then he torches another Agent. 

Even though the primary gunmen were Finn and Q, the third best of the team at shooting was Poe, and he was actually quite skilled. His blaster is better than simple firearms and instantly kills the weaker Agents. 

The SWAT Thug fires his assault rifle at him, but Poe rolls and finds cover. As the enemy reloads, Poe shoots him twice, taking him out. 

Because of the distraction, the punks fight better. One even manages to stab an Agent, but when he goes for a second one the Agent disarms him and punches him in the face before kicking his gut and pinning him down. 

Poe also wrestles with an Agent, but fares better. He twists the enemy's arm and then trips him. The Agent gets up and goes for a right hook, but Poe blocks and knocks him unconscious! Another Agent prepares to blow him up with a grenade, but BB-8 knocks him out.

In the end, only Poe, BB-8 and two punks are left standing. "Sir, we could handle these!"

"I am pretty sure about that!" Poe replies. "Next time, be more careful!" 

A hour later, the ship arrives at Crete. At the port, there are "Wanted" signs. Some Anna G who controls fire at a great degree and has tan skin and black hair has two million for her head. A Johnny P who can control plants, wood, stones and limited lava has one million for his. A Commander Finn Saber has also one million for his head. 

The rebels rip all the signs from the walls and Q uses a spray to make a graffiti. It shows a red demon with horns using Agents as puppets. 

He also writes "Empathy is strength" and "Free will is humanity's greatest treasure".

Finn immediately calls Poe and informs him they are in Crete. Poe immediately asks for the exact location and boards his X-Wing, and so does BB-8.

In Finland, Rey finally arrives. "The name of this place is Finn-land, right? I am pretty sure Finn has been here and already managed to make a name." She has already sent Poe, but does believe important Resistance members stay in the Galaxy. Jannah, Zorii Bliss, Lando Calrissian, Chewbacca, they all have good leadership skills. Yes, Chewbacca can't talk, but he can lead his own tribe well. Of course, Maz is also a politician now. The Galaxy needs her wisdom. 

"And let's not forget Rose" she thinks. "She managed to kill DJ and shut Canto Bight down. Never knew she had it in her. Then again, she did finally manage to listen to Finn and move on from him... which was a nice display of maturity." 

The First Order has been completely dismantled since Rey used her lineage to take over the remnants. She would almost return the army to power, but as the Forced Bond was dwindling, she started coming to her senses and freed all the troopers. 

She has instead gathered some scavengers and made them an army of vigilantes. Now she is on Earth, wanting to find Finn and bring justice. The scavenger army makes a camp outside a city. 

"Rey, I feel cold."

"Can't blame you! We are all from a desert planet, and we are in one of the coldest places in this world! Tomorrow, we all buy coats!" 

Elsewhere, Al summons two of his best warriors. 

Armilla is a very attractive female vampire. She replaced Chelsea as the Vampire Queen and is in the species of the Vampire Lady. 

The other monster is called the Hammer of Abyss. For good reason. He is a muscular demon who wields a giant sledgehammer and can use the power of the Darkness. 

Armilla talks with her boss. "My Lord, why don't we send Benjamin? He is the Vampire Champion, after all!"

"Because he is busy ruling Egypt. You know what you must do, my brave warriors... succeed where the Tower failed. Destroy Leah, Finn and their friends."

The Hammer laughs. "This is going to be easy. We will get an entire army and destroy them." 

Armilla steps forward. "Oh, yes, the Hammer is right. I will gather a lot of vampires and other undead. The enemy has no army. I will make sure some of our best troops come with us, too. 

And I will personally snap that she-wolf's neck and suck her boyfriend dry."

The Hammer looks at her, confused.

"What? I am a vampire!"

Back to Crete, unaware of the danger that awaits the rebels, they manage to reunite. Poe reports to his friends. "The Agents here are quite tough. We were lucky to survive the first battle, we could have very well lost if not for Toni. I believe we will need an army. A powerful army."

Leah and Q raise hands simultaneously. "We can bring army." 

Leah speaks first. "I managed to form a wolfpack and attack Al's headquarters. We almost won. But then we had to face two Archdemons..."

Q speaks second. "Crete has a lot of armed men who would like to fight back. We could also form an angry mob."

"I don't think they will be so dangerous." Poe remarks, remembering the slaughter he saw earlier. "They seemed to be brave and skilled, but they had to fight trained Agents..."

"Properly armed and trained they can be very formidable." Q responds. "Plus, they will certainly be no liability." 

"Ok. After all, organized they seemed to have potential!" 

The rebels try to find a place to stay, while passing through some more invisible messages... 

"WE KNOW YOU ARE HERE" 

"RAPISTS ARE EASY, WE ARE NOT"

"BRING YOUR ARMY, WE ARE READY"

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> For everyone who knows the terrible abuse apologism fest that is "Tears of Tess", there was a guy named Q who raped the protagonist at least five times. He is supposed to be seen as a romantic hero. He was so incredibly abusive Kylo would be sick of the bastard. In this verse, he was the second victim of Finn and Leah during their Sue hunting, first being Bella. More details in the previous chapter. Franco was his lackey.
> 
> That said, since having the name Adolf won't make you a murderer, and I could utilize the coincidence, I kept the benevolent sniper's name the same. 
> 
> Do Armilla and the Hammer seem dangerous?
> 
> Edit: Props to the guy behind Ep. 9's novelization, who wrote that disgusting kiss scene as something of gratitude. Well, whatever Rey and Kylo had, it wasn't true love. Yeah, I know Finn also got a gratitude kiss in the forehead, but, Disney... Finn is and deserves much better than Kylo. 
> 
> Like... I don't know, a gratitude blowjob? 
> 
> In this story, that bond is still a product of the Dark One's powerful black magic.


	9. The Scavenger

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The gang starts gathering an army. They need to prepare well. 
> 
> Rey's forces have their first fight.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This chapter mainly focuses on Finn and Rey. 
> 
> But also will have preparation for the climax of the next chapter.

Three days have passed since she came to Earth. She is training her newfound army of scavengers and looking for Finn or criminals. "Bugger! I can't find him in this land. Very well. I should have done this days ago!" 

Rey mediates and uses the Force to track down Finn and Poe. She can feel the life essence of everything in her path. She feels Finn's essence very, very south. 

Along with Poe, BB-8, two men she doesn't know, but she is surprised to see one very strong with the Force, a mouse and... Leah. 

_No. These two haven't betrayed her like this._

And she also spots some smaller imprints of the Force. "Troops. They have troops." 

But suddenly, a force even more powerful than hers blocks her connection to them. The presence takes the form of Dark Matter in her mind. 

She can also see the messages that control the public. "NOTHING IS MORE PURE THAN A SUPERNATURAL BOND" 

Rey's POV

Yeah, that's true. Just not pure good. These imprints make people slaves. 

She spots all the other messages. "EATING MEAT IS ONLY AWFUL WHEN HUMANS DO IT." 

Seriously, who judges people because of their diet?

"TAKING FROM OTHERS IS A SPIRIT OF A TRUE JEDI."

Impressive. Everything you just said... was wrong.

I don't know what you are, but I am not so gullible.

"I AM IMPRESSED. YOU CAN SEE. YOU CAN ACTUALLY SEE. I HAD TO PUT VALIANT EFFORT TO MAKE THESE PASS IN THE PEOPLE'S MINDS WITHOUT BEING NOTICED."

Wait, what? It's speaking to me? Yes, it's speaking to me. I am a trained Jedi. My mind is strong enough to see through any ruse.

"BUT WEAK ENOUGH FOR YOU TO TRY TO HELP SOMEONE WHO KILLED MILLIONS OF INNOCENTS BECAUSE YOU SAW HIM SHIRTLESS" 

I learn from my mistakes. Plus, Snoke made that stupid bond. 

"INDEED. BUT YOU AND HIM HAD SOMETHING MORE. A TRUE DYAD. THE IMPRINT OF THE JEDI. DON'T FEEL BAD, YOU DID WHAT WAS RIGHT. SEE? YOU SAVED HIM! YOU BROUGHT TRUE BALANCE! YOU TWO EVEN KISSED. I HAVEN'T SEEN SUCH A PURE BOND IN AGES."

Look again. More carefully this time. 

"I BELIEVE YOU WILL BE SAD THAT YOU LOST YOUR SOULMATE. NOTHING ELSE BUT HIM MATTERS TO YOU. NOT HIS COUNTLESS VICTIMS."

I am sad my soulmate left me. But I won't grieve. I want to reconcile with him. And which countless victims? The ones in the planet-buster he blew up? Do you know how many he saved? 

Oh, right, I almost forgot THAT man you mention. It was all a trick of some Dark One. I don't trust him.

"NO. IT IS ALL YOU." 

Third person POV

Rey cuts off the connection and grits her teeth. "Soldiers... we are in trouble. I sense a very powerful Dark signal. Everywhere."

Elsewhere, the Resistance has gathered a vast amount of allies and is training them.

Poe Dameron's victory led to him calling every person on Crete who wanted to fight in an uprising. Many people answered his call.

Q and Finn were a sharpshooter and one of the best gunmen in the Galaxy. They train the men for many hours at using their guns. And their knives, too.

Finn oversees the men firing at targets. They were moderate before the training, but the enemy needed something better to be put down. Now Finn smiles as the squad manages to hit all the targets. Though only one managed a Bullseye. 

A bit later, Finn himself is trained by Toni. The shooting parts are now a break for the young apprentice. He doesn't worry about the practice of the rebels, because Q is also a great shooter and trains the men just as well. 

When it's Finn's turn to train them, Q builds gadgets, including an electric drone and a laser drill for himself. He is now putting a silencer in his sniper rifle and also makes sure to upgrade his cloak so it doesn't make sound. 

Poe learns strategies and practices his flying skills. He trains himself with the blaster as well.

Leah is training her own troops, the Children of the Moon, who have answered her call voluntarily. 

She trains them with speed courses, wrestling and jump courses. 

She still isn't so great with weapons. She uses now a steel pipe, but needs practice. Finn helps her use the pipe better, though. 

Every day the rebel heroes and soldiers get better and better. A week after they managed to reach Crete, Toni is impressed. 

"Five pieces! That's a new record, Finn! Well done!"

"Thank you!"

"But you are still no Jedi. You need seven pieces to be worthy of the title of the Knight. And, remember, even a Master isn't indestructible. Qui-Gon was a great Jedi Master. Possibly one of the best. Killed by Darth Maul, who outsmarted him using the environment."

"Using the surroundings to your advantage is a very good strategy, Toni. Helps against stronger enemies."

Toni smiles. "It does. And we will need them, because this enemy is too strong to take on in a straight fight. We need to slowly decrease their influence. Now, should we meditate?" 

"Yes." 

Toni manages to float using the Force while meditating. Finn doesn't float, but meditates too. 

"Feel the Force flowing through you. Remember, you used to run, but now you are a leader. You confronted your fear, and confronting fear... is the destiny of the Jedi. Your destiny." 

Finn has been used to being treated well. His new family knew to trust him and each other instead of people who kidnapped, tortured and degraded them in the past. Instead of excluding him, they did their best to include him everywhere. 

He valued Rey more than his own life. Any innocent, really, but especially Rey. He thought he needed her. In reality, he needed to get out of her shadow. All this time, he thought that maybe, because he wasn't powerful yet, he wasn't worthy of being a Jedi. He wasn't worthy of Rey's attention. 

No. Power is not the main purpose. Power is not the meaning of life. A craving for power is not the way of the Jedi. 

_Confronting fear is the destiny of the Jedi._

Finn knew it now. Maz told him he had eyes of someone who wanted to run. After the battle of Takodana, however, she told him she saw the eyes of a warrior. The Dark One made sure nobody on his empire knew it, though, because he saw Finn as a threat to his quest for... what? Power? Corruption? Some sort of Greater Good?

Even most creatures who knew him didn't know his exact motives. The monsters worshipped him as a male deity who was their savior from the oppressive humanity and a grand master of the Dark. From the Galaxy, few knew him, and even Supreme Leader Snoke feared and hated him.

Finn does his best. He reaches as far as he can. But he can't feel further than the island. Except for one very, very strong signal coming from the far north. It's more than thrice as powerful as his own... and it's calling to him. Not just someone with his name, him.

He vaguely remembers the voice. "No. It can't be..."

Rey is mediating on Finland. She and her scavengers managed to demolish the spice traders pretty quickly. Since Riya and her accomplice, the Maharajah, got killed, the Lotus production was destroyed. 

This loosened the Dark One's grip in the world, but caused a war between the illegal drug dealers.

Now, however, Rey and the scavengers are going to face a much bigger challenge.

Because they have to face Viking statues and even a Frost Giant. 

The Viking statues have sturdy armor, double axes, heavy hammers or bows, and some are slightly bulky but human-sized, while others are gigantic. 

As the enemies approach, the scavengers prepare their blasters. At Rey's command, they all fire simultaneously and stop the front row of the enemy. But the Vikings respond with longbows and manage to pierce the very light armor of some scavengers. 

Rey uses the Force and topples a giant Viking, making his double axe drop to the floor. Then she uses it with telekinesis and makes it chop plenty of enemies.

Then she lifts a giant rock and protects herself and some of her troops from arrows and thrown axes, but it shatters before she can throw it. 

The scavengers throw all their detonators or shoot with their blasters. They have to soften the Vikings up from a distance, because in melee range even Rey herself would be in trouble.

The Frost Giant retaliates with big pillars of ice, crushing about ten scavengers. Then he creates an axe out of thick ice and starts smashing buildings.

Blaster bolts are ineffective. Rey realizes she has to defeat the giant by herself. She draws her yellow saberstaff and leaves a fierce battlecry, leaping at a giant Viking and cutting off his head. Then she slides under some arrows and starts slashing the archers until a hammer comes for her head. She uses the Force to push the enemy back and finishes him off with her blaster before gutting an archer. But these Vikings are living statues. To truly be defeated, they need some serious damage. She makes sure to inflict it. 

A scavenger takes out the last longbowman, but the Vikings are already too close and the scavengers have to use their fists and staves to fight against them. A scavenger manages to hit a Viking twice with his staff, but the enemy's axe splits his head open. Another Viking gets punched in the nose, but with his hammer manages to crush the enemy's scull.

Another scavenger manages to ambush a Viking and use a hot knife to cut his arm, but gets punched in the face.

Rey dodges an Ice Beam and Force Pushes the Frost Giant, actually knocking the eight-meter monstrosity down on his back. To her surprise, the giant gets up easily and creates big spiked balls of ice, which she manages to shatter or deflect with her saber and the Force. Then she lifts some rocks and throws them all at the giant, doing some damage. 

But he manages to strike her with a club made of ice and knock her down. She responds by throwing her saberstaff like a boomerang, cutting off the Frost Giant's leg. 

Then she sees some of her men injured by the Vikings. She quickly takes out five Viking statues and uses the Force to heal all her injured warriors. But the giant manages to seize her and attempts to crush the life out of her. Her response is Force Lightning. She fires more and more, frying the colossal monstrosity's face, before cutting of his hand holding her. 

The Frost Giant starts losing his courage. "Who are you, little girl?" 

Rey smiles. "I am Rey Skywalker. I am the first of a generation of the new Jedi. I am the bane of your existence!" 

The giant uses his icy breath to freeze her to death, but she manages to dodge it three times, reaches him and cuts him to little ice cubes with multiple slashes of her lightsaber. 

As the pieces crumble to the ground, Rey deactivates her saber and poses. "Palpatine is still harder." 

Then she turns to the remaining enemies and uses the Force to make them kill each other. 

Later, the powerful woman is talking to Luke's Force Ghost. 

"Impressive, Rey! You did a very good job in this battle!" 

"Not good enough. I lost one third of my warriors. They deserved to live a good life for once. I promised them! I promised!"

"Not only are they in a better place than the desert, but they also fight to make the Multiverse better. Beware, though, because there are evils fouler than Palpatine himself here."

"Speaking of which, did you know the true reason of the dyad? Dark One and all?" 

"We the Jedi did try to find its cause. Most of them did find something Dark, but believed it was just Kylo. And the Dark One is just a myth for them. I knew he existed and did suspect he wanted to corrupt you... but it led to the redemption of my nephew and the downfall of Palpatine, so I was willing to let our enemy win for then. Besides, it could be something better."

Rey remembers all the moments with Kylo. 

"No. Nothing good can romanticise abuse and degradation. Nothing good can harm friendships and true affection."

"Fair enough. Tell me... how do you feel now?" 

"Free. Free to right all the wrongs I was forced to do."

"That's my daughter. The daughter I never had!" 

Speaking of evils, Armilla and the Hammer have spied on the Resistance for all the week. 

"They were training and preparing all this time, Armilla! They could easily be ambused! Why didn't we attack them before they could have a proper army? Why do you insist on not attacking them before they are ready?" 

"Because I fear Greece is already lost. After they think they can win easily and we don't know how dangerous they are, I will lure them to Egypt, where we are still strong! And then, we crush them."

"I have a better idea. I will send a powerful monster to soften them up in Greece and help our troops. It will help our remaining forces there, who are quite powerful."

"Then our enitre army lures them on Egypt, where they will have the disadvantage. But... what kind of monster?" 

"The only thing I will tell you, Armilla, is that it counts as nine!"

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> How did you find Rey's psychic conversation?
> 
> Yes, the being she was talking to used the messages to speak to Rey, altering them.
> 
> I insist the Force Dyad between Rey and Kylo is the purest of evil. Not even Lucas, whom I admire, can change my mind.
> 
> Shoutout to Ki-no-Shirayuki, because she described this Rey as an antithesis to Bella Swan. Actually, because she started becoming Bella in 9 by supernatural means, I wrote that be the influence of the Darkness on her and now she snapped out of it, and is her old self, who was an anti-Bella.
> 
> Yes, I do sometimes shill Finn and Leah. Basically, I am against shilling, as it goes against "show, don't tell", but there are some characters who are honestly great people and role models and never get the love they deserve because the authors prefer to put toxic messages instead. So, I have no problem with shilling if it's these characters.
> 
> And about the paragraph with Finn not being mistreated? I wish it wasn't written by spite. I wish this was canon. I don't get the hate he gets in-universe and out. 
> 
> Guess what's the mythological monster that counts as nine!


	10. The Battle of Crete

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The title speaks for itself!

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Since Chapter 7, we had basically character development, confessions, some Rey and training. Now, are you pumped up for the payoff?

The fortress of Crete isn't a joke. The Agents have some of their best units. The monsters are also quite powerful. 

They know that they are about to be assaulted by an army of rebels and are prepared. The vampires are an army by themselves, and they even have the so-called Vampire Infantry. These bloodsuckers wear light armor, strong enough to stop a stake, use medieval weapons and have proper training. Even werewolves struggle against them. 

They also have many strong monsters other than the vamps. The Harpies are the enemy's air support. The Orcs are self-explanatory and tough as nails. They don't have just basic green grunts, there are also archers, officers, blue orcs and purple ones, and even some tough red ones. 

Ironically, even though colors in monsters show the difference in power, they actually don't degrade the other colors. For example, even the cocky Silver Moblins don't show colorism against their orange and red troops. 

And they have many more nasty surprises. 

Ten armed men charge at the fortress, seemingly without any tactics. The Agents are prepared. They fire bullets, grenades, rockets and even cannonballs with artillery. The ten soldiers vanish into thin air. 

Q and Poe high-five. "These holograms are awesome!"

At the same time, a howl is heard. And immediately the werewolves attack from many sides at once. They are inhumanely fast and tough enough to survive bullets. Within seconds, tens of them are already close to the walls, trying to break them.

Some of them try to dig under the walls, while others distract heavy enemy fire. A grenade falls between three werewolves. One jumps at it and saves the other two, but he blows up to pieces. 

Leah is in the front lines, smashing the font door and howling encouraging words to her werewolves. The moment she steps foot, she has to retreat because of a storm of bullets and arrows. An arrow grazes her tail.

Poe boards his X-Wing, along with BB-8. Q uses his car to fight the enemy, while behind him the armed people of Crete attack the Agents and fare better than the last time. In the first five minutes they manage to kill twice as many foes as in their three previous raids. 

Toni sees three of the rebels getting blown up at once. So, he distracts all the bazookers and grenadiers. "Hey! I am a Jedi! Kill me and the fight becomes much easier for you!" 

They all fire at him at once. But he uses the Force, stops all the explosives and sends them back, breaching the walls and killing multiple Agents. Then he charges with his lightsaber. 

Q has trained a group of snipers to fire from the trees. The men and women of Crete were actually already competent, but had relatively bad gear and had to face even stronger enemies. Now the odds are even. The sniper rifles show their might as they reap the defences. 

Poe uses his ship to blow up multiple harpies and the cannons. But some harpies latch on the ship. 

However, they forgot the General of the infantry, Finn. Who charges with a fierce battlecry and uses his blaster to kill all the harpies on the X-Wing before they destroy Poe's ship. Then he uses the Force to send a single rocket back to its sender.

Q fires Spydor Mines at the orcs in the gate and blows some of them up. Leah takes advantage of this to get inside and fight them one by one. If not for her speed and Q's distraction, she would be cut to pieces. 

Other werewolves start breaking wall chunks, but confornt the vampires. While one vampire and one werewolf would equally trade blows, one of the fearsome Vampiric Infantry takes on three werewolves at once and kills all of them with his sword and fangs.

Finn uses his blaster and shoots ten Agents in their heads without missing a shot. Then a vampire charges at him, but he uses the Force and predicts her strike, dodging at the right time. Then he Force Pushes her down and dodges a bite. Finally, he uses his blue lightsaber and easily slashes her. 

Toni uses his lightsaber and powers through three vampires at once. Blue Orcs charge at him with axes and clubs, but he slashes and stabs them. Their wooden shields can stop even a bullet, but not a lightsaber. 

A harpy gets on Poe's ship, but BB-8 fries her.

Rebels from Crete trade fire with the Agents and take out plenty of them. Even an orc gets killed by bullets. 

A S.W.A.T. Thug manages to gun down a werewolf and calls for reinforcements from Egypt. 

The Hammer orders three transports and two TIE Fighters his men had bought through Kylo, while he was still loyal to the Corruption, to land at the nearest airport. 

He also mentions to Armilla that he already sent his monster through his magic. 

Meanwhile, Leah stands on top of many dead monsters. She has killed over twenty orcs. However, she has been injured twice. Once by an orc arrow and once when an Orc Sergeant stabbed her ribs.

Next, she fights a Fat Moblin and dodges his belly flop. She proceeds to land fifteen rapid bites and run away from his wild spin attack with his long spear. 

The Fat Moblin throws the spear. Leah dodges and lunges, but the beast blocks with his huge wooden shield and draws another spear. He strikes the she-wolf once. She spits some blood and recovers just fast enough to dodge a stab. Then she bites his leg and proceeds to dodge another belly flop before attacking again. Soon, she manages to beat the Fat Moblin...

Only to see an Orc Captain with bright red armor. "Ok. Let's rock!"

Elsewhere, Toni gets an Orc Axe to his left shoulder and winces in pain. Then he guts his attacker before using the Force to push everyone else away. He immediately leaps at a blue Orc and stabs it before decapitating a second one. 

Finn is shot in the knee by an Agent, but retaliates with a lethal shot in the chest. "People of Crete! Today, we fight not only for this island, but for the entire Greece as well!" he shouts as he shoots a harpy about to divebomb him. 

He and his squad engage Moblins. They are orange in color and they have wooden suits, swords, spears, clubs and shields. One of them has an axe. The rebels have guns, knives and double axes. 

Toni's training pays off! Finn might not be a Jedi yet, but the Force is with him and he cuts two Moblins with each swing of his lightsaber. He kicks an enemy down and then slashes three enemies quickly before parrying a club aiming for his head. He proceeds to gut the attacking Moblin and then elbow one that was gloating over the dead body of one of his troops. 

Behind him a rebel uses his double axe to slash three Moblins, while another one with a double-barrel shotgun takes out two enemies at once. Another one stabs a Moblin with his knife, while a fourth one uses his pistol, which he used signs to practice with, and fills an enemy spearman with lead. 

The Children of the Moon are in deep trouble. The regular vampires are mostly destroyed, but the trained vampiric soldiers are much harder. So far, the werewolves managed to kill only one of the soldiers. 

Leah is distracted by the Orc Captain and can't help them, only feel their pain. She tries to run and help her pack, her friends, but the Orc Captain is fast, strong, and calls two vampires to help him. 

But Little Finn and Q's attack drones have spotted the weaknesses in the fortress. The drones gun down plenty of Agents. One sets a vampire on fire, but gets broken by an Orc. Another is an electric one and shocks many Agents at once.

Little Finn sees the pack of his best friend decreasing. All this time, the woman who gave him food, water and company had been a true heroine in his eyes. He learned to love both humans and werewolves. 

When he met his namesake, he initially was jealous. Because he saw him getting suddenly a lot more affection from the woman who was his only friend. But he warmed up to the man after their adventures and realizing the naming was because she loved the mouse as much as the black man. 

Seeing the werewolves giving their lives for his friend made him determined to save them! He grabs a torch with his teeth and sees an armored vampire knocking down a werewolf and being about to stab his throat.

But the little mouse shows that he is far from a liability, as he sneaks with the torch and sets the Vampire Infantryman on fire!

As the vampire wails in immense pain, Little Finn goes for a second Vampire Infantryman. He would be spotted and stabbed by the vampire's spear if a brave werewolf didn't notice him first and distract the vampire with a mighty swipe. The second swipe disarms the bloodsucker, but he tries to strangle the Child of the Moon. The Child has succeeded in stalling for time, though, and the pale monster's armor can't save him from being set ablaze. 

A vampire woman, the mate of the second elite vampire, spots the mouse and grabs him with both hands. "Oh, you must be Leah's pet! I wonder how much will it crush her when I crush you!" 

She starts squeezing him, but Leah, who has just ripped the Orc Captain's throat after a long struggle, spits some blood and charges at full speed. She hasn't run so fast since the storming of the Boar News Tower. Agents try to get in the way, but they don't even manage to reach her, not even to slow her down. 

Within ten seconds, using the gap Toni created, she reaches the vampire and brutally mauls her. In the end, there is nothing left of the vampire woman. 

Then she sees Little Finn struggling to breathe. She turns into human form and starts petting him. "Don't worry, Finn! I am here for you! I am always here for you." As she holds him gently, a vampire tries to bite her and drink her blood. Leah backhands him like nothing happened and Embry, one of the Children, finishes him off.

Greyfur, another Child, trades blows with a vampiric couple and neither side seems to be winning. 

Toni has finished the Orcs, but not uninjured. The strongest enemy units come to fight. Stalcops and Staltroops lead the charge, but behind them are powerful Bull Demons and mechanical bulls. 

They are followed by more Vampire Infantry and some Lizalfos. The leaders of the monsters are three Silver Moblins. One has a sliver sword, another a double axe and the third one has a double spear. The former two have big shields, the last one has also dynamites. 

Toni uses the Force and pushes back the enemy's front row. Then he slays a Bull Demon easily. 

An Orc Captain talks to a Silver Moblin. "Where are the reinforcements?"

As it turns out, they have their own problems. Because they tried to land on the airport of the capital. The women and children of the island don't forget the only mistake their ancestors made in the first Battle of Crete, against Adolf Hitler. 

The Nazis only won because they had a lot of air support, and now the women and children of Crete made sure no more air support comes as reinforcements by filling the corridors of the airport with so many rocks that landing there is dangerous. 

The transports simply can't land anywhere, which saves the Resistance from over a hundred Agents and Gibdos, which are powerful mummies.

As they have to retreat, the two TIE Fighters still go to join the fight. 

Said fight still rages on after ten minutes. A werewolf manages to tear a vampire's head off, but a Bull Demon rams and then bites him to death. Greyfur destroys three Stalcops, but gets scorched and then slashed by a Lizalfos. A rebel runs out of bullets, so he throws a stone at a Stalcop.

Q's car is surrounded by mechanical bulls. He uses an EMP to cause a short circuit to all of them and then rams two Staltroops who were fighting two rebels.

But a rocket damages the vehicle and he has to put it in a safe place. He gets out, uses his cloak and his silenced sniper rifle and shoots the remaining Agents. Nobody realizes where he is, since they can't see or hear him. 

Toni slides under a bullet and slashes a Bull Demon. Then he sees a Lizalfos burning four rebels and with a leap he strikes the monster, killing it with one slash.

He proceeds to Force Push a mechanical bull to another Stalcop. Three Stalcops shoot at him, but he dodges the bullets, reaches and slashes the skeletons. Then he throws his saber like a boomerang and cuts a vampire in half. The bloodsucker orders a Moblin to fetch his lower half, but Embry dashes at the vampire and stomps his head quickly. The Moblin stabs him in the back with his wooden spear, though.

Toni goes for the Moblin, but a Lizalfos gets in the way. The Jedi has to roll to avoid a stream of fire coming from the lizardman's mouth. Then he charges and with one strike breaks a sword of the enemy, but gets a jab from the second blade. He kicks the Lizalfos and finishes him off with two quick strikes. 

Finn guts a Purple Orc and is about to rezedvous with Leah, but three Vampire Infantrymen surround him. He barely manages to parry the first sword strike with his lightsaber and a second enemy slashes his back. 

"Not again..." 

But Leah spots him, stakes a vampire, turns into a wolf again and dashes towards them, ripping the head of the first soldier in one mighty lunge. Seems like her training paid off. She growls at the other two vampires and gestures at Finn to go further into the enemy lair.

He obliges and sees a werewolf about to punch a purple orc. The orc raises his spiked shield forward, causing major pain to the Lycan. Then with his axe he cuts the werewolf's right arm off. Finn shoots the orc about twenty times in the back. Then he breathes a sigh of relief as he sees a Greek rebel using his double-barrel shotgun to put down a Bull Demon. 

He knew the rebels would eventually be very effective. If you have the spirit and try to improve, you will improve. So he got from struggling with other elite troops of his squad to crippling the strongest fleet in the Galaxy almost by himself. And these rebels got from struggling with Agents to actually killing demons.

While moving, Finn uses the blaster with his left hand and the saber with the right, and anyone who gets in his way dies. But the two TIE Fighters come here, much to his surprise, and start firing at him. He starts running from them, but then Poe Dameron comes to the rescue and shoots the first down. The second pilot fires at Poe and almost hits him, but Poe gets behind him and blows the ship up quickly. "That was easy!"

"Always a hell of a pilot, Poe!" Finn yells as he runs forward and shoots one of the last Agents in the heart.

Leah is in her human form, locking her steel pipe with one of the vampires' swords. She sees the other one about to stab her in the back and dodges the thrust. Then she stakes the monster... but his armor stops the wooden weapon. But it doesn't stop the steel pipe that comes later. Leah proceeds to grab the monster's neck and bring his face to her knee before immediately shifting back into a wolf and tearing his throat. 

Then she gets slashed by the remaining enemy's longsword. The vampire proceeds to kick her in the face, pick her up by the throat, throw her three meters away and use his superhuman speed to slash her in mid-air. "Worthless dog! Didn't Jacob teach you your place? Now you stand on your knees and apologize for slaughtering the Volturi and badmouthing the bonds our wise god made for the Greater Good!" 

"How about kicking your sorry ass instead?" 

Leah gets up and dodges the next thrust, which would penetrate her scull if it found its mark. The vampire angrily throws iron stakes at her, but she dodges them all by moving faster than the human eye can see and lunging for a bite. She does bite him, but he survives the first attack and goes for three slashes. Leah dodges and gets behind him, then she leaps again and lands another bite. 

The vampire kicks her face and draws blood, but she catches the next kick with her teeth and rips off the vampire's leg before finishing him off. 

"I am Leah. And I defend humanity from scumbags like you!"

Poe manages to shoot down the last harpy and starts blasting the vampire hordes with his X-Wing. Unlike the regular blasters, those from the ship are strong enough to obliterate the fanged undead. But the vampires are no slouches either and one of them manages to rip a wing from the ship. Then he goes to break the cockpit and drink Poe's blood, but BB-8 sets him on fire with his torch. 

"Thank you, BB-8!"

Q snipes some Orcs, but a Lizalfos realizes where the bullets are coming from and sends four Bull Demons immediately at the sniper. Q, having lost his biggest advantage, is forced into a straight fight... which is the reason he made the Drill Blaster! 

He manages to take out three Bull Demons in four shots, with the fourth one missing. The fourth monster gives him a headbutt and sends him to a tree. 

"He must really love me" Q thinks sarcastically as he gets up. The bull charges for a bite, but a rebel manages to strike it with his axe three times, killing it.

The Lizalfos leaps close to the rebel. "You worthless human!" Using his swords he cuts off both arms of the man, but Q kills him with his Drill Blaster.

Then he defends the man who saved his life from two bloodthirsty vampires. 

Finn runs through a blue Moblin with his Lightsaber and shoots the last two Agents dead before they manage to throw grenades. But the Silver Moblins notice his improvement. "He must be Finn. The legendary Traitor."

"I say we kill him together."

"Good idea. I call dibs on his saber." 

Finn is quickly surrounded by the three. A Silver Moblin alone could scare Leah herself and was the General's toughest duel he ever won. He knows that he improved a lot since the last time he encountered such an enemy... but he still has to face the equivalent of _three Phasmas at once._

The first Silver Moblin hurls a dynamite, but Finn jumps far away from it and doesn't get hurt. Then he fires his blaster, but the other two Moblins block with their sturdy shields. The Moblin with the axe attacks first, but Finn sidesteps and slashes with his lightsaber. The shield gets a cut, but doesn't break completely.

Finn turns around just in time to parry the silver blade coming at him with his saber, damage the enemy's sword and kick the Silver Moblin in the gut. Then he goes for the head, but the shield stops the lightsaber. The Silver Moblin with the double silver spear leaps at Finn and stabs him in the back. He yells in pain and slashes him with a spin attack, but the enemy with the sword stabs him in the chest and manages to draw a lot of blood. Finn struggles to get up, but the third Moblin axes him in the left shoulder, leaving a deep wound. 

Then the spearman kicks the man while he is down, and the other two do the same. "We are three against one! Just because you can kill one of us, doesn't mean you can beat us all!" 

Toni thinks about helping, but decides against it.

"No. This is his fight."

Poe and Leah do want to help, but the vampires distract them. They helplessly watch their best friend getting savagely beaten up and have to fight the vampires simultaneously. Leah doesn't care that these three are all very strong and made of silver. She is thinking of beating them to a pulp with her pipe. Now she is using her teeth and ripping a vampire apart. Her mate charges, but he gets torn too. 

Poe blasts ten vampires to pieces with his cannons while screaming bloody murder. "This is for everyone you killed, bastards!" 

The Silver Moblins keep beating Finn. "Concede, and we will kill you quickly." 

"You are not worthy of being a Jedi! Rey was _lucky_ for the Force Dyad, because she would be stuck with _you_ otherwise!"

"And what are you fighting for? These humans? These worthless sacks of flesh? They will not show you gratitude! They will value gender, race and religion more than actions! They will shun a person with black skin more than a person with black soul!"

"What will you gain with your empathy? Empathy is a weakness!"

"Look at you! Always ready to die for some wastes of skin! Pathetic!"

Finn finally gives in... to his anger. In the end, even he has some Dark inside him... 

"No. I am not pathetic!" 

As he roars, a powerful wave of the Force sends all three Moblins away like an explosion. Then he lunges at the one with the axe and cuts the weapon it half before he stabs the monster in the liver. "Not so powerful now, are you, bitch?" 

The Moblin punches him in the face, but Finn slashes upwards and kills the elite warrior. 

Then he gets hit by a dynamite. To the surprise of the two remaining Moblins, he survives. "H... how much can he take? Is he made of steel or something?" 

"No matter! Throw another one! He is about to die!"

The Silver Moblin does so, but Finn uses the Force to push the dynamite back and damage the thrower. The other enemy manages to avoid by jumping sideways. 

Finn quickly draws his blaster and shoots the wounded Silver Moblin first in the shins and then in the nose. Then he pulls him closer with the Force and unleashes a flurry of strikes, cutting the monster to pieces. 

Two down, only one to go. "You... you killed them both!" 

"You tried to piss me off. Reap what you planted."

The Silver Moblins are fearless. They are powerful. They can feel only rage. The Silver Moblin doesn't think of running. Instead, he roars and charges. 

"DIE, TRAITOR!"

Finn, despite being heavily injured and tired, charges too like a wild bull, and is ready to face death or glory.

The blades clash. Silver Longsword against a lightsaber, it is no contest. The blue blade of hard light cuts both the sword and the right arm of the wielder.

"Gah! You think you won? This isn't even our main base! Knossos is our real one... and you aren't going to destroy art, will you? Not after we rebuilt the palace and labyrinth!"

"Thanks for the information, dummy."

Of course, the Silver Moblin didn't say what is waiting the heroes there. He tries to attack Finn one last time with a shield charge, but Finn uses the Force to disarm him. "Don't worry, pal. I won't shoot a helpless enemy. This is why I defected."

The Silver Moblin wants to die with honor instead of living in shame. With his left hand, he picks up the broken sword and charges one last time. "KILL ME, OR I WILL HURT YOU AND EVERYONE YOU LOVE!"

The human understands the monster will suffer more if he is left alive, and would try revenge against innocents. The headshot the Silver Moblin gets could be considered an act of mercy.

Sweating and bleeding, Finn can't believe it. The last time he was so much in danger, was against Kylo Ren himself. Only he didn't even win then, but he did help Rey a lot. His blood boils as he remembers her gratitude. Leah might have scolded him more than once for him charging at danger, but at least she never abused or pushed him away. 

She knew how bad it was. She would never do it. 

"Poe... Leah... are you proud of me?" 

The last vampire in the battlefield smells the blood coming out of the human. "Tasty, tasty blood..." 

He lunges, but a certain she-wolf gets between them and growls. "Don't come any closer, or I will leave no trace of you."

The vampire ignores Leah's threat and charges. What happens to him is so brutal that only clawing and biting will be mentioned. 

After Leah finishes, she turns back into a human and runs at Finn, who struggles to stand up. "No... you can't die on me! You... you idiot! They were three on one! You know even I can't fight them! Why did you do that?" 

"Because if they didn't fight me... they could have fought and killed you, Poe or someone else. Yeah. This was stupid. But these could slaughter your entire pack. I saved hundreds this way..."

"But couldn't you fight them separately? I couldn't do anything but watch, because I had to fight multiple vampires!"

"This... this was my fight. The way the elite vampires were yours. Good job, Leah. You beat the champions of the species most hostile to you. I... I am so proud of you. You already saved me once today. I can't thank you enough for that."

"You... you are proud of me?" 

"I always was. You are worthy. You are a hero. You are _loved._ "

Leah can only do one thing. Embrace him. In his arms, she feels appreciated. Wanted. Home. 

He returns the hug. All he needed after this big battle that he barely won was someone to hold him tight. Someone who truly loved him. 

"Leah... all I ever wanted was someone to tell me that I matter. To take my hand." 

Leah takes both of his hands with hers. "Anything you want, Finnamon Roll. Do you want to kiss me?" 

"No... we are not ready yet."

"Oh, I can wait. Please be happy first."

Poe has landed and comes along with BB-8 and Little Finn. He draws his blaster and shoots two Orcs dead. 

"Should I interrupt them while they are hugging?" 

BB-8 bleeps angrily. 

"But I am his best friend and want to hug him, too! It's a miracle he survived this fight!"

Finn and Leah overhear. "Everyone is welcome to the hug!" 

Toni reaches Q and the rebel who had the double axe and Force Heals them. Then he uses his lightsaber and cuts a mechanical bull in half, and then slashes some murderous Orcs. 

The battle is seemingly over, the fortress fell. But Finn drops the bomb. "It's not over. They have an even bigger base here." 

Toni joins them soon. "Indeed, my apprentice. It's in the ancient palace of Knossos. I can feel it. The monsters are even stronger there. I propose we rest for now... we earned it." 

As the nine remaining enemies run away, they release one last monster. A Puker, which runs amok and tries to blow up the base. Thankfully, Q draws his sniper rifle and stops the monster with a headshot... by luck, he shot the only place where the Puker won't blow up.

This night, the remaining rebel forces relax on the fallen fortress. Tomorrow is maybe their last battle. If the fake fortress had so many enemies, what is waiting in the real one?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> "I like these odds" is something that could describe the big fight(s) of this chapter!
> 
> I would finish the Greece arc in this chapter, but the chapter would become too big, the size of a Star Destroyer!
> 
> I couldn't not have a scene where Finn and Leah appreciate each other after the battle. But I can't have them kiss so soon! 
> 
> Please leave me feedback!


	11. Liberation of Crete

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The Resistance storms Knossos to liberate the palace and the entire country from the enemy. 
> 
> Easier said than done.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Warning: A lot of mythology, action and violence!

The Men of Crete and the Children of the Moon, led by the band of Poe, Finn, Leah, Q and Toni, march towards Knossos. Four days have passed since the last battle. Finn has recovered in the first three and trained with Toni in the fourth. He didn't manage to pass the five pieces, in fact he managed only four due to not having stabilized at five and being in no fighting shape the last three days. 

Poe was watching over him often. Leah not so much. She has to train her pack, and hates running from her responsibilities. She was ready to fight even for her old pack against Aro's forces. And was horrified for Finn being there in Aro's downfall, because she felt he was her responsibility. 

As an Alpha, she believes she has to protect the pack at all costs, even if it means to make them leave a losing battle and fighting alone in the front lines. 

This extends to her other allies. But in no way would she order her packmates become cannon fodder in order for her to run in a safe place with Finn. Though she would put her pack in danger to save innocent people, with herself in the front lines. 

"Hello, Embry and Greyfur! Where were you? We couldn't find you anywhere!"

"Leah, we found three escaped murderers attacking a couple. We saved the lives of the couple and killed their attackers."

"Excellent. I am proud of you, boys. I have been training with iron punching bags. They are a bit durable, but do have their limits. I also trained a lot in speed."

"Why don't you try the Olympics? You could take first place easily!"

"Because I am afraid of ending up second... the silver medal would do a number to me, and not because of humiliation. Same about all of you."

As the Resistance advances, Poe with his X-Wing and Q with his cloak go forward to scout the enemy defences. They see numerous Monster Soldiers, and some undead warriors of the late King Minos. They all carry heavy double axes, and it's not a good idea to approach them too much. 

Bull Demons are also roaming. Unlike regular bulls, these beasts eat meat. There is also their stronger variant, the Pinky. Its name is only for the color and irony, this monster is very savage. Faster, stronger and far more durable than the Bull Demon, it's its evolution.

Along with these animals, there are some Bokoblins, who are weaker than the Moblins, and even the humans, but they are cruel and can be dangerous when on groups. 

Nothing of these scares Poe or Q. But there is something that does scare both of them. Two Crocolfos, who are the direct evolution of the Lizalfos, are the officers. "Of course Crete has crocodiles. Of course." Q thinks. But no, not these guys. 

They fear the giant beast with the nine heads. It's a green snake-like monstrosity, with the eight heads resembling dragons. The ninth one resemples a different kind of dragon, with bigger horns, fiery red eyes and a lighter green color. 

Q talks to Poe. "Seems like they took us seriously. This is a Hydra. I heard a lot about these monsters. Hercules, the demigod, has killed one of them... it's only weak to fire. Don't cut off its heads!" 

"I have a bad feeling about this!" 

Soon, the battle starts. From Knossos, where beforehand was only some cannon fodder, emerge hundreds of Monster Soldiers. 

Poe smiles. "Nice bluff. Pretending to have only a few weak units guarding your monster." He immediately calls Finn. "Tell Leah and the werewolves to stay back. Lure the enemy to them!" 

Finn follows the orders. Then he and thirty of the Men of Crete step forward. "Hello there, bucketheads. Nice bluff. We thought you would be far less." 

"Nice try," a Crocolfos in the front line responds "but we know what you are trying to do. We saw the army of werewolves and punks behind you, ready to ambush us. Maybe you should have planned this before the battle, not during!" 

"Damnit, we are really, really stupid, huh? It can't be that they simply decided to cowardly run away because of the giant snake with the nine heads you have!" 

The two Crocolfos who are there talk to each other. 

"He is trying to confuse us."

"Don't they accept defeat?" 

"Well, let's surround his forces as he is talking."

Finn talks to Poe "They try to surround me as I am talking! I can see their troops moving." 

"Keep talking."

"What?" 

"Keep talking." 

Finn understands what's happening. "Oh. A question. Is it true that many scenes of me were deleted because you don't want me to inspire people?" 

"The will of the Great One is unknown to many."

"You know, I can beat all of you by myself. Do you know what I did to the Silver Moblins of the other fortress? I killed them. I killed them all by myself."

"I heard they came pretty close, though... because you are dumb enough to be surrounded!" 

Indeed, the thirty-one rebels are facing enemies in all the directions. But something in Finn's expression makes the others feel easier. 

A Crocolfos asks Finn "Why? Why are you so sure about yourself? Ok, you beat the three elites even surrounded. But we are not just three. Are you that stupid?" 

Then werewolves charge from a lot of sides. They are fewer than the enemy bulk, but now they are the ones doing the surrounding. 

"Impressive." a Crocolfos smiles. "But we are many enough to afford a formidable part of our force to just turn around and kill these fuckers." Then he charges at Finn, his swords bare, and tries to kill him. Finn barely manages to parry the five rapid strikes coming at him. As he parries the last one, he sees an opening for a riposte and seizes it. The enemy falls instantly.

Near him, his few men are able to hold their own against the Monster Soldiers. A Green Monster Soldier gets sliced by a double axe, while an archer in blue armor aims for a guy who tried to kill a spearman with a stone and only hurt him a little, but a double-barrel shotgun blows the trooper's brains out.

The second Crocolfos fights two rebels with axes at once and slashes both with his swords quickly, ending them. He gets shot in the leg, but cremates the shooter with his breath. Finn Force Pushes the monster away from his troops and leaps forward. The Crocolfos gets up and barely dodges by jumping out of the way. He gets behind Finn and is about to stab him in the back.

But the rebel with the double-barrel shotgun shoots the monster in the head and knocks him down. "You are dead, murdering reptile!"

"You need more than that, old man." The Crocolfos gets up, but gets shot in the chest three more times. 

"Like this?" 

Finn turns at the old man. "Nice job, Master Sergeant!"

"Wait... I was a private!"

"You _were_ a private."

Finn turns to see a Monster Soldier in pink armor trying to impale him with his spear. With a saber strike he cuts the spear in half, with a second one he does the same to the wielder. 

On the other side, Leah and her pack fight ferociously. The Alpha doesn't want to back down. With every lunge, a Bokoblin or a Monster Soldier is down for the count. At one point she jumps from monster to monster and pounces at all of them, destroying all the targets easily. A Bull Demon charges at her, but she sidesteps quickly and lunges at the beast from its right side, tearing its ribs off with her teeth and then landing some more bites. 

After defeating the monster, she shifts back to human and draws her steel pipe. Her weapon crosses with a Bokoblin's club. "Strange. Your tribe usually is naked after you change back into humans. And have no weapons with you!"

"Well, I trained my shapeshifting far more than the rest. Helps when facing an enemy like... oh, a Nemean Lion. Struggled a lot with THAT one." 

She manages to push the Bokoblin back and smack his scull with a strong swing, but a Bokoblin almost stabs her in the back. She avoids the hit and lands three rapid elbows to the monster, killing him. 

Three elite Bokoblins come forward. The two are blue and have spiked Boko Clubs and wooden shields. The third is black and has a revolver. Leah has to change back into a wolf and dash to dodge all bullets. 

A Monster Soldier in dark gray armor swings a giant flail and smashes the scull of a werewolf. The werewolf struggles to get up, his healing factor fails him. A second collision finishes him off. Embry realizes he is facing a Ball and Chain Elite. He rushes to avenge his fallen comrade and dodges the flail coming at his head. 

He manages to reach the soldier and goes for a claw swipe, but fails to penetrate the armor and gets a kick in the stomach before the flail swipes his legs and brings him down. The soldier stands above him and raises a leg to stomp him. The first stomp manages to find his chest. 

Leah growls menacingly. "No! Embry!" Then she tears the throat of one blue Bokoblin before punching the other hard in the face. She gives him a beating, but gets shot twice in the ribs. 

Embry blocks the next stomp and pushes the elite soldier back, and the weight of his armor brings him down on his back. Then he starts punching faster than the human eye can see. 

The rebels try their best to hold the line. Three of them fire bullets and take out an equal number of undead. But an arrow pierces the liver of one of them. Another arrow goes for a werewolf, but the Lycan catches it in mid-air.

A Crocolfos is fighting a werewolf and winning. He cuts both hands of the Child of the Moon with his swords and then sets the beast on fire. Another Child charges at him, but he sidesteps the first attack and with a tail swipe trips the wolf. Then he stabs him.

Leah has defeated all three strong Bokoblins, but a Pinky charges at her and knocks her down with a headbutt. But three shots in the back with a sniper rifle wound it severely and makes it turn with its mouth open. It charges at the attacker, but a bullet gets in its mouth and stuns it. A fifth shot finishes it off.

"Wow" comments Q as his rifle is smoking. "That thing took some damage!"

Toni is fighting using his green lightsaber, slashing and stabbing multiple soldiers along the way. Three bowmen fire their arrows, but he uses the Force to stop all of them and slaughters them with his lightsaber. A Crocolfos charges at him, but the Jedi just smiles and unleashes a flurry of devastating and fluid attacks at the monster, taking him out in seconds. Then he cuts a zombie in half and stabs a Monster Soldier in the stomach before using the Force to send ten enemies flying.

Poe uses his X-Wing and dives, using his blasters to massacre thirty Monster Soldiers. Then with his Proton Torpedoes he obliterates a column and the archers covering behind it. 

Anti-aircraft laser cannons emerge from the palace and fire at him. Poe dodges all enemy fire. "If only we had more ships... how do they call them? Planes? We are lacking air support!"

Q sees the ace he always looked up to in deep trouble. He aims his sniper rifle and shoots the cannon closer to him. DING! Q facepalms. Of course the cannons wouldn't be that fragile. His Drill Blaster sadly has a much shorter range. He would have to charge very close to the temple and blow up the cannons, and if it didn't work he was screwed. And he wasn't used to fight in the front lines. His cloak can help him sneak, but what if a stray arrow or even ally bullet hits him?

"Darn it." Q mutters and grits his teeth. He shoots a Bokoblin in the head, while Toni reaches the Hydra. 

"Come and bite me, monstrous creature!"

The Hydra hisses and two of the heads inflate their cheeks. Toni is worried. "Please be fireball, please be fireball..."

And the heads breathe two massive streams of poison. It's green and very very toxic, and can kill organic targets very quickly. It's from the blood of the Hydra, which Hercules dipped arrows in to make them poisonous to a different one. 

"Why couldn't we be in one of those fics where everything is handed to the alleged good guys?" Toni thinks after he avoids the powerful streams. He charges with his lightsaber and goes for a head, but the Hydra has a tail and uses it to smack Toni, disarming him. Then she extends a head, which goes to eat him. Toni uses the Force to grab a battle axe and cuts the head clean off. "Take that, abomination!"

Then he dodges the bites of the other heads and strikes another one in the face, drawing venomous blood. But half a minute later, from the first wound regrow two more heads. Toni has to change plans. He throws the axe at the body of the monster and then grabs his lightsaber again. 

He spots Poe in trouble. He can't even attack the cannons, as he is forced into defence. The Jedi runs from the Hydra and uses the Force to bring the cannons down, one by one. A Bokoblin with a spiked bat charges at him, but is shot dead by a rebel. The Hydra also advances, but three Men of Crete throw torches at her, creating a wall of fire. 

The monster is scared of advancing, so she changes tactics. She uses the poisonous breath and kills two rebels at once. Toni manages to bring all the cannons down. "Poe! Help! The Hydra is too tough!" 

Poe flies towards the Hydra and fires his proton torpedoes. The powerful explosives could destroy the nuclear reactor of the Death Star, so even the Hydra is badly wounded by the shots. She retaliates with all nine regular heads firing poison. Only the main one just watches. The ace pilot dodges one, two, three, four streams... but can't dodge all of them forever. One of the streams hits him. The poison can't do anything to the thick metal of the ship, but it has enough force to push Poe back a lot. Another stream hits him and the ace pilot loses control. 

Toni has to do something. Fire. He sees that the Hydra was scared of fire. He does something very risky. He leaps at one of the heads with his lightsaber and cuts it off with a quick and strong strike. The wound is immediately cauterized. 

"Toni! What are you doing?" 

"A risk. I hope the cauterization has the same effect as actual fire!" 

Two more heads turn to Toni and fire their poison. He dodges and takes cover behind a tree. Half a minute passes and the cut head doesn't regrow. Poe regains confidence, dodges a stream of poison with a barrel roll and blows a head off with proton torpedoes. Then he fires his blasters at the open wound and burns it completely. 

Another stream of poison hits Poe and sends him back, but Toni's green lightsaber cuts off another head. The Jedi _narrowly_ avoids a bite and a poisonous stream coming at him. 

Poe, however, gets a bit too cocky and dangerous for the beast. He dodges a bite and goes for the main head, firing more torpedoes. The main head merely flinches and hisses something to the other heads. 

When Poe dives for another bombing at the Hydra, the remaining regular heads all fire their venom. Poe barely dodges all of them... but they were a distraction, as the main head gets a clean shot. It does not fire venom, but a very, very corrosive acid instead and shoots Poe down. Both Poe and BB-8 barely manage to escape the crash, and Dameron sheds a tear for the X-Wing he lost. It was his favorite. "Ok, ugly abomination, you are going down!" Poe shouts. He has to fight on foot, but is so pissed he doesn't care.

His distraction and destruction of his ship were not in vain, as Toni managed to cleave another regular head. 

He sees the X-Wing destroyed. "I have a bad feeling about this."

Leah is fighting in her wolf form against many zombies and Bokoblins, tearing the throat of an undead before clawing three charging Bokoblins. Finn uses his lightsaber and cuts through zombies and other monsters like butter. 

He struggles to beat a Crocolfos, who manages a jab at his ribs with a sword. Finn retaliates by stabbing the monster's heart. Finn is about to give up, tired and injured. 

The he sees her.

Leah struggles to beat a Pinky. The monster bites her and she howls in pain, but she growls in fury and pounces at the monster rapidly before giving it a very hard bite in the neck. 

The Pinky collapses dead, but Leah isn't sure if she will heal from that. 

Then she sees him. 

Finn and Leah, with regained morale and courage, tear and hack their way through enemies to reach each other and break the enemy circle. Leah is blocked by five Monster Soldiers with pink armor. One of them throws a spear at her, but she dodges and bites him to death. Then with her sharp claws she slashes two more enemies, but a trident stabs her in the back. She turns, punches the soldier and rips his arm off before dodging another flying spear and lunging at the last soldier... who blocks with his shield and goes for a stab at her head, but she dodges and takes him out with four punches. Then she tosses some foes who are in her way. 

Finn dodges a javelin and shoots an enemy dead. Then he manages to stab another Monster Soldier and guns down three Bokoblins. He is wounded heavily by a spear coming at him, so he Force Pushes everyone in front of him. The way is almost clear. But there is a brave Monster Soldier with an electric bat. 

"Traitor!" 

The soldier spins his baton and swings like a true professional. He was waiting a long time for this.

"Not this time."

And Finn just shoots him dead. 

Then he and Leah rezedvous. She changes back to a human. "We did it!"

"Not yet. I believe the real problem is INside the fortress." 

"Let's go." 

As they hug for a bit, a Moblin Sniper climbs on the rooftop of the palace and aims at them. "Hold still, sickening sweethearts..." 

But Q manages to shoot first. And he barely misses. But he does catch the sniper's attention... and then fires again, killing him.

Finn and Leah get inside the palace. There are some green Moblins with iron spears, cutlasses, shields and daggers. They are led by a Blue Demon Knight, who is much taller than the Monster Soldiers, carries a heavy shield and a halberd, and his armor is much more sturdy. 

Embry has managed to defeat the soldier with the flail and uses it himself on many enemy troops. But when a spear wounds his arm, he has to retreat.

The rebel with the shotgun uses it and takes out a Bull Demon, and then two Bokoblins at once. He is one of the last three rebels initially with Finn who are still standing, and fights his way to escape the circle. 

Greyfur is fighting two Bull Demons at once and losing. He lunges at one, but the other headbutts him.

Poe and Toni are already in serious trouble against the Hydra. They didn't manage to cut off another head since Poe was shot down and both mostly dodge attacks. Poe covers behind a column and shoots a head, but the main one retaliates with the acid and melts Poe's cover instantly. "Seriously?" 

Zombies sneak behind the ace pilot. But BB-8 tazes one of the zombies and warns Poe, who turns to shoot the rest of the undead before they axe him to death. 

Toni narrowly dodges a bite and cuts off another head with his lightsaber. But a stream of poison almost hits him. He dodges and it hits a werewolf who was about to save an one-armed rebel from two Bokoblins. The werewolf dies instantly.

Another head prepares to fire its toxins too, but a bullet from a sniper rifle interrupts the attack. Q appears, using his drill blaster, and fires at the monster again and again. "Burn!"

Two rebels have double axes and hack their way through enemies, and they take fourteen out before one of them is impaled by a spear. The other continues fighting until he is knocked out by a Boko Club.

Poe shoots three zombies dead, but one gets too close. Poe avoids its double axe and hits it with his gun butt before kneeing its groin and getting behind it. He breaks its neck, grabs the axe and cuts another undead in half. "You know, you are half the zombie you used to be!" 

BB-8 tazes two more zombies and then rolls towards the Hydra. The monster opens its mouth to eat the droid, but Q's Drill Blaster stuns the head and allows Toni to chop it. 

Little Finn is also in the palace, having snuck there. He confronts a snake and manages to lure it to one of the traps. Then he enters the labyrinth, that's half-finished. He knows he will be lost, so he uses a very long rope as trace to make sure he won't get lost. He confronts feral worms, but easily beats them with his paws and tail.

The bigger Finn lunges with his lightsaber, but the enemy Knight swings his poleaxe and strikes the black man, drawing blood. Finn gets up with some difficulty, but Leah, as a human, has snuck behind the knight and striked him with her pipe. He retaliates with a vertical swing of the halberd, but Leah blocks. Finn stabs him in the back, doing him in, and then goes for the remaining Moblins.

Leah clobbers another Moblin, but she is only very skilled with martial arts and her wolf form. A Moblin uses his sword to disarm her, but she quickly stakes him in the heart. Finn sees this and gives her his lightsaber. She takes it and does strikes that don't have finesse, but still are effective. 

Finn uses the Force and blaster and keeps Moblins at bay. But one of them reaches him and the two trade a punch. Finn gets up first. "Leah! The saber! You are better in hand-to-hand!" 

Leah throws it back to Finn who impales the charging Moblin immediately. Then she blocks an axe with her hand and kicks the enemy in the stomach before taking him out with another kick, in the chin. 

The last Moblin draws his iron axe and goes for a swing, but Leah ducks and deals rapid punches, knocking him quickly out. 

Finn crosses his arms. "That was overkill."

"It's a fight."

The two enter the Throne Room, where they encounter a Fat Minister sitting on it. "Ha ha ha! Welcome, Traitor and Screwup!" He has made a weapon that controls minds and aims at Finn. It strikes home. 

"Now, bow down to me!" 

Finn bows down for a moment. Then he uses the Force to bring the weapon close to him and smashes it. "Did you really try mind control on me? My mind is way too strong for any mind control!"

"But... but history says Rey did mind control you at one point! And you were feeling weird afterwards!" 

Finn shoots the Minister in the belly. He winces in pain as he activates a trapdoor and the intruders fall in a labyrinth below. 

Leah and Finn land on their feet. "Finn, did Rey really control your mind at any point? Were you feeling weird after she spoke to you at any point?" 

"No. On Pasaana once I did feel weird after Rey told me not to interfere... after she gave me everything she had but her lightsaber. The reason is that when she told me to go... the voice was not hers."

"How do you know that you can't be mind-controlled?"

"I broke from my conditioning by myself. It was mind control. I have the Force and can see when someone tries to mind trick me. Also, my mind is strong enough to immediately spot weak points well-camouflaged in a massive fleet, and leave an army where I was raised to murder. Finally, Rey is not a monster. Only a monster would brainwash their own allies. I was actually shocked by the tone of her voice. 

Rey sounded like a man with quite the deep voice."

Pasaana, before Exegol. 

**"It's ok. Go. I don't want you to interfere!"**

Finn felt weird hearing Rey speaking like this. Something was in her mind, but he could not understand it at all. And that something wanted him away from Rey. 

Was it for his safety? Who knows? 

Labyrinth of Knossos, during the Second Battle of Crete.

Now he doesn't care much. If Rey thought he was her toy, he proved her wrong. He still hopes Rey is fine, though... but every day, he thinks more and more of Leah. 

The two try to find their way through the maze. It isn't really easy, especially with traps that include spikes, blades and massive swinging axes. 

"Did a gamer make this?" 

"Who knows?" 

In his time on Earth, Finn learned about gaming. Quickly he started excelling in shooters. Often he and Leah played Deathmatch together in online games. Her experience and inhumanely fast reflexes allowed her to be an even match for the Force-Sensitive marksman.

In reality, though, Leah has no experience with a gun. Not that she needs it. 

They walk, killing snakes and roaches and passing sublimal messages. 

"ABANDON ALL HOPE, EVERYONE WHO ENTERS HERE"

"FEEDING GROUND" 

"HERE WE TAKE OUT THE TRASH"

"NOT SO PROUD OF EATING BEEF NOW"

Finn isn't strong enough to see the messages yet. 

The two jump over a rope that if cut would lead to a boulder crushing them. Leah stands under a spotlight.

"Leah! No!"

And an arrow flies at her. She catches it with one hand.

"They really need to try harder than that." 

The two continue and face some more snakes, slaying plenty of them. They end up in a room where puppets are coming from the ceiling. And they have cutlasses. 

Meanwhile, the Hydra proves herself to be too tough. Toni manages to cut off the last regular head with his lightsaber and cauterize the wound. But the main one nearly melts him with its acid. 

Poe turns to BB-8. "Find Finn and Leah. They need you. They need your help!" 

"BLEEP!"

"I will be fine! Even if I die, you will still live!" 

BB-8 leaves. Poe and Toni can't brute force the final head. They avoid powerful streams of acid, which cause craters on the ground. Poe needs to use his head. He shoots at the colossal dragon head and makes it flinch slightly. Toni Force Jumps and stabs the throat of the giant monster. Then he slashes at it, but it does not get cut immediately. The Hydra swings her only neck and throws him at a column, smashing it. Then she goes to breathe some more acid, but Poe shoots her again. The Hydra's tail wraps his legs and holds them tight; trying to crush them.

Toni has enough. He hurls his green lightsaber at the monster and cuts off her tail, freeing Poe. Then he gets it back and throws the saber again. This time, he leaves a very deep wound in the monster's neck. 

The Hydra tries to retaliate, but Poe's blaster burns her wound and makes her wince in pain. "Now!" 

The third throw cuts off the final head and cauterizes it. "Yes!" 

The two high-five as the Hydra collapses... but then the disembodied head starts crawling! 

"I have the feeling half of the beast's power is in this very head." Poe remarks. 

"We need to blow the head up." 

Poe looks for any detonator. If he still had his ship, he could have easily finish this with proton torpedoes. 

"I have one more detonator! One more! I must not miss!" 

Q, who was covering them from the undead, finishes the last one and then snipes the head. Poe throws the detonator and Toni sends it right at the monster's open mouth. 

The explosion vaporizes the last head. Poe lost almost everything he loved, except for his friends. He did not feel sorry for killing the Hydra for good. "BURN!"

The Master Sergeant with the double-barrel shotgun almost managed to escape the circle and killed more than twenty Monster Soldiers and zombies, but a Pinky broke the old man's arm with its horns. It also eats his leg. The man would have died if not for Greyfur, who ambushes and kills the Pinky, but gets severely injured in the proccess.

He is carried out of the battlefield. 

BB-8 reaches the Fat Minister, who laughs and sends four puppets at him. The small droid rolls to avoid their attacks and torches the first one. Then he tricks the other two into slashing each other and torches them too. But he gets grabbed and thrown by the last puppet. He electrocutes the marionette for a long time until it falls. 

The Fat Minister, in spite of his belly injury, grabs his Crescent Axe and gets up. "Even though Finn got my belly good... I am still able to fight!"

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I don't believe Rey ever mind tricked Finn, it has so many holes that you could paint it yellow and call it Spongebob. 
> 
> This battle is getting BIIIIIG. So, the cleanup will be in the next chapter.
> 
> Did you like the Hydra fight? I can't have a supposedly all-powerful government be punching bags, I hope the enemies look like a challenge in this chapter! (Even though they mostly had swarms of fodder)
> 
> Best moments? Please leave me feedback!


	12. The Labyrinth

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Finn and Leah confront a legendary monster, while BB-8 struggles against a Fat Minister. 
> 
> Al's minions strike back.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The closure of the Greece arc! Are you ready for the climax?
> 
> Btw, here is a quick character list!
> 
> https://pan2000.dreamwidth.org/5157.html

Finn and Leah keep traversing the Labyrinth. The traps become more elaborate. Spikes on the floor are accompanied by a flamethrower on the wall. 

"Ok, when it cools down, we jump." 

The flamethrower only fires periodically because it must not overheat. So, Finn and Leah wait and when it cools down, jump...

And they land right on a spotlight, which activates an arrow. Leah catches it with her hand... but she feels it burning and yells in pain. She immediately drops the arrow. "Bastards! They knew some werewolves would rebel, or they made this after my attempt to kill Al. This arrow was from silver!"

Finn grabs it and throws it to the spikes. Then he spots the arrow trap and fires a blaster bolt inside the hole, disabling it. 

"How did you do that?" 

"Years of training!" 

"Ok... you still wouldn't catch an arrow, though."

"Of course not." 

The two continue and are ambushed by two vampires. Finn struggles to land a hit with his saber, as the vampire dodges all the strikes. The other vampire does the same to Leah, but not for long, as she is even faster and manages to impale the bloodsucker with her stake. The other vampire lands a left hook to Finn's face and makes him stumble. But before he can do something, the she-wolf gets close to the vamp, knocks him down and stakes him too. Then she extends her hand and helps Finn get up. 

At one point they reach a dead end. They try to go back, and they face a quite different kind of vampires... ones that Leah isn't so experienced with, but weaker. Keese. Vampire bats from a parallel dimension, they are weak, but they can fly very quickly and bite hard.

Finn starts getting worried when a Keese flies fast enough to dodge three shots of his. The fourth strikes home and the bat falls instantly. The former Stormtrooper sees a Keese diving at Leah and fires in front of it, quickly killing it too. But he has to defend himself from a third one, and only a quick Force Push gives him time to shoot it before he gets bitten. 

Leah does rapid pipe swings which would never hit the bats if swung by a normal person with her skills. But she does so with such velocity that she actually manages to strike one Keese and knock it out cold. With a slap she manages to knock another one down, but a third Keese bites her hard in the shoulder, making her shout. She turns, uses both hands to grab the Keese and crushes it with her full strength. 

Then she turns into her wolf form and with two lunges takes out two more Keese. As Finn slashes the final Keese with his lightsaber, they think of going back. 

Leah proposes a solution first. "Let's think outside the box. Let's go through one of the walls." She turns into her human form and starts rapidly punching the wall. It still stands... but has now some notable cracks. 

Finn senses something behind the wall. Then he asks Leah to stay back and creates a door-shaped gap with his saber. Leah smiles at him and punches at full speed, ending up smashing through the wall. 

They find a lot of treasure. They collect some, but not too much, because they do need meterials for their weapons and food for soldiers, but not too much weight that would hinder them in battle. 

Then they create a shortcut and Finn uses the Force to sense... Little Finn in danger. The mouse easily passed the arrow traps by being too short and dug through holes to avoid spikes, could beat worms, rats and even a Keese, but now he struggles against a Blue Demon Knight because he can't bite through the armor. This knight has a longsword instead of a halberd to fight... but it doesn't help him when Finn pinpoints him and Leah charges at full speed, landing rapid punches at him until he dies. Then she picks Little Finn up and hugs him. "Don't worry, little one... I will always be here for you!" 

A Bokoblin cuts off a rope and a massive boulder emerges behind them. Finn proposes only one option. 

"RUN!" 

Leah follows suit, holding her pet mouse in her hands. 

Meanwhile, BB-8 is in deep trouble. He manages to dodge many axe swipes by rolling and has tazed the Fat Minister five times, but the official refuses to die. The Minister jumps high and attempts to crush the droid, but BB-8 dodges and rams the monster before using his torch to singe him. 

The Fat Minister frowns and uses his free hand to cast Ignite. This spell has short range, but casts a very powerful stream of fire that engulfs BB-8. As the droid tries to put it off, the Minister's Crescent Axe strikes home. BB-8, with an awful cut and a severe burn, still functions. Maybe he has got some determination from being with Poe, Finn and Rey. And he refuses to give up. 

Baiting the Fat Minister into striking a column, he sees the axe being stuck on it as it only reaches halfway there and tazes him again, enough to apply the most lethal force. The Minister yells in pain, but barely manages to get his axe out and swings again. 

BB-8 starts rolling circles in the room.

Outside the palace, the battle's fate is sealed. With the Hydra dead, Poe starts shooting the rest of the enemies with Q's help. He rallies the injured rebels behind him. The most severely injured humans are Force Healed by Toni, who has to rest.

The next charge is destructive for the enemies.

A bit later, Finn and Leah jump over a pit filled with spikes, slide under flying spears and manage to find a turn and escape the boulder. 

Only to realize that their problems have just begun. The legendary Minotaur is in front of them. He is not the powerful Ox King, who is a different monster from the east. This one is known as the Scourge of Crete. He wields a gigantic double axe and is stronger than most monsters similar to him. 

Also, he eats people. 

"I have a bad feeling about this."

The monster gets close. "I... MINOTAUR... HUNGRY! MINOTAUR BAD WHEN HUNGRY!"

Leah tells Little Finn to stay back and draws her pipe. "Since when do cattle play predators?" 

The Minotaur swings his double axe and strikes vertically, but Leah sidesteps quickly. She keeps dodging the attacks... she has to make the monster tired. The Minotaur just attacks, attacks and attacks... 

Finn gets behind him and shoots him thrice in the back of his head. The monster winces in pain and turns to the black man. Then he roars and swings his axe. Finn dodges and the axe makes a deep cut to the wall behind him. The former Stormtrooper pushes the monster away with the Force... right into Leah, who is prepared and uses her pipe as a baseball bat, sending the giant hybrid out of the room. 

The Minotaur, however, isn't defeated yet. Since Theseus killed him the first time, he got enhanced by the monsters who revived him. He leaves an enraged roar and breathes smoke from his nose, preventing his enemies from seeing. Then he fires a blade from his axe and wounds Finn, drawing blood. Finally, he charges with his horns at Leah, who can't see him and so, despite her fast reflexes, gets hit by the full force of the charge and pinned to a wall. 

The Minotaur raises his axe to split her in two. But Finn uses the Force and feels the presence of both Leah and the Minotaur. He surprises the latter by sneaking behind him and stabbing him in the back before slashing it afterwards. Doing so to a monster after Starkiller felt... a bit cathartic. 

The Minotaur can also sense him and charges with his horns again. The Padawan uses the Force again and manages to dodge at the right time, making the Scourge of Crete strike a wall and get stuck. Then he dashes and unleashes a flurry of saber strikes, causing multiple cuts on the body of the beast. 

But the Minotaur roars as he manages to free himself. 

Finn gets prepared for a vicious assault. 

It happens, but he is not the target. 

Leah has turned into her wolf form and used her own senses. She managed to pinpoint both warriors and has just lunged at the Minotaur, landing rapid bites at his throat until she manages to rip it off with her own teeth, causing a lot of blood to get out. 

Leah has beat the monster, but the Minotaur tries in his death throes a desperate attack. Finn finishes him off with a single Force Push. 

"Well, that was a bit tough."

"The smoke trick was good. But not good enough." 

Meanwhile, in the Throne Room, the orange droid narrowly avoids getting split in two by the Fat Minister's axe and finally manages to kill him with electricity. 

Now, he has to enter the Labyrinth and show the trapped heroes the exit. His own scanners, as well as the rope Little Finn used, help him track them down.

He easily finds them and leads them to the exit. 

The Minotaur is dead, Crete is free. 

The entire Greece is free. 

Finn and Poe embrace each other. They all shake hands and even do brofists. 

A whole week of peace is passing. 

Q has hired technicians to help him. He is building not one, but three X-Wings. One for his hero, Poe Dameron, and two more for his wingmen. Poe was an one-ship fleet, but even he did get shot down by the Hydra. 

The rebels needed more air support, honestly. 

Leah trains further with her werewolves. She gives a gun to one of the Men of Crete. "Shoot me." 

"Why?" 

"I am a werewolf. I won't die in one shot." 

"Ok..." The man pulls the trigger. Leah immediately gets to a straight corridor, trying to outrun the bullet.

The first time she did this, she got injured. Her healing factor saved her life, though. 

This time, however, she manages to escape it. 

Meanwhile, Toni is impressed. "Nice, Finn. You stabilized yourself at five pieces. Two more to be a Jedi!"

Finn grabs another metal bar. "Master... I would like to see your own skill." He throws the bar at Toni. 

Toni ignites his saber and cuts the bar to eight pieces. "Slightly more than a standard Jedi Knight. Yeah. Don't think the training stops at seven pieces. There is always room for improvement, young Padawan. I try to reach nine pieces. It will need more practice than you going to seven now."

Then Finn has to carry Toni through a shallow river. The first time he did this, he could only cut three pieces and gave up at a point. Toni, as a human, was much heavier than Yoda.

Now, however, he manages to succeed. 

The next day, Finn wakes up way too early. Being in the same room as Leah has its problems. Including her snoring. However, he enjoyed her company, and she enjoyed his, so they sleep together in spite of their flaws. After all, he sometimes talks in his sleep. Leah called him out once, because he was talking about Rey. That was a long time ago. Leah also woke up once more by his talking, when she heard him calling her name. When she saw he was just dreaming, she gave him a gentle peck on the cheek and slept again.

Since it's still night, Finn decides to make a patrol. Who knows? Maybe there will be spies wanting to reclaim Greece. He writes a small note and takes his full gear. 

He gets close to the sea and sees a little girl drowning. She wanted to see the stars, but accidentally fell into the water. 

Finn doesn't even bother to strip. He dives, clothes on, and saves the little girl. 

"Thank you, stranger. What's your name?"

"I am Finn. Just Finn. You?"

"My name is Lisa."

"Nice one."

The girl runs to her home, where she tells her parents the story. Her mother is happy to have her daughter back, but scolds her to be more careful. Her father does the same, but tells her something else too. "Did you allow that negro to touch you?"

"Had no choice. He saved my life!"

"Don't hang out with people like him. They are smelly and will rape you."

"This man was really kind. Again, he risked his life to save me. And just let me go home."

The father still doesn't buy it. 

Little do they know, that a woman is hearing outside the window. 

Finn continues his patrol. With the Force, he senses burglars trying to get in a house, tranquilize the owners and steal everything they can. They only want to avoid murder because that would attract more attention.

The former Stormtrooper starts running there, to stop them. 

However, three minutes later, he is stopped in his tracks by a woman. The woman is dressed in a bright red dress and wears also red shoes. Her skin is white as snow.

"Hello, handsome. Looking for someone?" 

"I am busy. I have to stop some burglars."

He moves past her, but she grabs his arm and drags him close to her. Then she points at two empty husks a meter to their east. "You don't. I stopped them first. Criminals. All they care about is money. How to take without giving. Parasites." 

Then she looks at him straight into his black eyes. He sees that hers are red. He backs away. "Stay away from me! I know what you are, and I don't want to be next!"

"Oh, I don't plan to eat you, my sweet pie. I am not hungry anymore... I prefer criminals. Murderers. Rapists. They can be eaten without me feeling bad."

Finn ignites his lightsaber. "I don't trust anyone who eats people. One day, you might end up eatng an innocent, and I will have to stake you on the spot!"

"You don't know how many are innocent! I saw a girl talking to her father. About how a kind black man saved her from drowning. Do you know how the father reacted? 

He was worried that said black man touched her and said that all black people are smelly and will hurt her."

"But... I am black! And I won't hurt a fly!"

"I know... I don't believe skin color has anything to do with personality. Personality is what matters the most for me."

"Happy to hear that. But just because your beliefs are more pacifist than those of another person, it's no excuse to murder..."

"What if they kill for those beliefs, though? What if they want to murder all the black people to create a pure white race?" 

"That's not just disagreeing. That has to be stopped, even with violence."

The white woman strokes his cheek. "See? Even you will kill when you have to. For example, you are armed with your blaster. You see a "man" raping a child. Wouldn't you murder him?" 

"That would not be murder. That would be a favor to the Universe." 

"I should inform you, there are people who believe killing the rapist is worse than being the rapist. And that all can change and shit. And consider criticising bullying as evil." 

"That's... that's insane!"

"It is. And do you know what happened when you were introduced as a hero? People bitched about a hero being black. They bitched... and bitched... and bitched... and they really didn't want to get behind you because you were not white. So, to prevent having to fight idiocy, because nobody can beat it, we had to cut some parts of your story. Like the scene where, on Starkiller, you powered through fifteen guards with your lightsaber. And the scene where Rey struggled to hit a Snowtrooper chasing you two, where you took charge and shot him easily." 

"I know. But you know what? I never asked for gratitude. I want to do what is right."

"Then you will realize that we are in the right." 

The woman casts a spell and drags herself and Finn in Limbo. Finn looks at the vivid colors around him. Bright green, pink and yellow. Colors that could be found in neon lights. 

"Who are you and what's this place?" 

"Oh, yes. Since I do know you, Finn, I forgot to introduce myself. My name is Armilla. A Vampire Lady. One day, I aim to become the Contessa. 

This place is the Limbo. First layer of the Underworld. It isn't normally a place for cute little boys. But I, in Al's orders, have to make an exception.

Al studied both you and Leah. Between us, I wonder who is hotter for you. Me or her?" 

"She is full of life. You are a living corpse. So, I bet she is hotter." 

Armilla snorts. "But I am more beautiful. Very well. I love the way you struggle against me. You have a spirit of a true Jedi. But... should we test if you have the skills?" 

"I beat three Silver Moblins at once. Alone. Is this impressive?" 

"Nice. These Moblins are enhanced to know only hate and rage. Made to keep both vampires and werewolves under control. Quite strong. 

But... they are just the point that separates true heroes from everyone else. Surely, you should know that we have much, much stronger monsters than that." 

The vampire woman snaps her fingers and black ooze emerges around them. Lesser Stygians surround them. They all have spiked bats with them. 

"Stygians. The inhabitants of this place. Let's start with the cannon fodder." 

With another snap, the Lesser Stygians charge, like sheep about to assault a hungry wolf.

Finn uses the Force to push some of them back and draws both blaster and lightsaber, using them one-handed. With his left hand he shoots two Lesser Stygians in their chest, making black ooze fly everywhere, while with his right hand he slashes another Lesser Stygian and cuts it in half. 

Fortunately for Finn, the lightsaber can kill these creatures in one hit. Armilla watches with her arms folded, and encourages both sides.

"Come on, Stygians! You can beat the human!" 

Finn shoots a Lesser Stygian at his left and leaps high. As he jumps, he shoots another monster and lands with his saber forward, impaling another enemy.

"This is it, Finn! Let the hate flow through you! Use that lightsaber of yours and thrust harder! Shove it with all your passion!"

"That sounded a bit wrong, you know..."

"Why? I suppose Leah often says this when you two are alone... right?" 

"Shut your face!" With his blood boiling, Finn cuts another Lesser Stygian to pieces and dodges a club coming for the back of his head. With a swift turn, he slashes his attacker and takes it out quickly. 

The last Stygian charges with its bat, but three shots are enough to stop it. 

Armilla smiles at the Padawan. "Nice job, dear. But they were just the warm-up. I suppose you have faced Stygians before. Both Lesser and regular."

"Yes. They are harder than Moblins, but not too hard for a Force-Sensitive."

"Yeah. Stygians aren't all fodder, though. Some of them are perfected and able to put up a fight against true warriors." A bigger chunk of black ooze appears and another Stygian emerges. He has a dark blue armor that covers him completely, two big goat horns and two large, curved blades. Only his black eyes and mouth are visible, and he shows some sharp teeth. 

"This is your first real challenge in our world, human. Elite Stygian... kill him!"

"Yes, Mistress."

The Stygian bares his teeth and waits for Finn to make his move. Finn performs a leap attack, but the Stygian blocks using both swords and his weapons manage to resist the lightsaber. Then he lands a strong kick to Finn's stomach and knocks him back. 

Armilla chuckles. "I see you finally met your match. It's so bad that my Stygian will tarnish such a great beauty. Come on! Neither hold back!" 

Finn draws his blaster and shoots at the Stygian, but he sidesteps the shots and only one finds its mark.

The demon charges again with his twin swords, but Finn uses the Force and manages to push him back. Then he keeps shooting the monster while he is down and weakens him. However, the demon gets up and blocks the next shots. 

Then he leaps high and lands while slashing with both swords, but Finn dodges by jumping back. He goes for a jab, but the Stygian blocks and slashes his chest. 

Finn manages to keep standing on his feet and knees the monster, but he does only a little damage because of the armor. However, the following stab manages to completely penetrate the armor and chest of the enemy and emerge from the other side. 

"Well? Give up?" 

The Elite Stygian bares his teeth and gives him a headbutt, which hurts because of the goat horns.

Finn uses the Force to push the demon back and nearly hits Armilla. Then he pulls his lightsaber and picks it up again. "Come on, Bantha face! It's not over yet!" 

The Elite Stygian gets even more serious. He uses his swords and slashes the ground, causing a wave of black ooze to go at the former Stormtrooper. Finn jumps right on time and fires a single shot with his blaster with one hand, but the Stygian nimbly dodges.

The two clash blades again and they use their off-hand weapons to trade a hit. Finn is stabbed in the rib, while the Elite Stygian is shot in point-blank range. Then the blades clash again and again. Finn jumps back, seathes his blaster and uses both hands for the saber, dead serious this time. He performs a heavy strike and crosses swords with both blades of the Elite Stygian. Both use all their power to push back the other. Physically, the Stygian is stronger. 

But Finn uses the Force to amplify his own physical strength and manages to push the Stygian back. He proceeds to land a very powerful strike, finally killing the Stygian.

Armilla steps forward. "I am impressed! You truly have the spirit of a true Jedi. However..." 

She licks her red lips as she approaches him. "You still have a lot to learn. That was a pretty close one. Now..."

She cracks her knuckles and bares her fangs. "Are you ready to face the boss?" 

And she charges.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Did you like the fights with the Minotaur and the Elite Stygian? 
> 
> Yeah, demons are evil, but humans can be nasty too! At least the former don't judge with races.
> 
> Are you ready for the next chapter? Opinions about Armilla? 
> 
> Please give me feedback!
> 
> END OF PART 1.


	13. To the land of the Pharaohs

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Finn fights the toughest battle of his life. Will his training help him against an actual general of Al?
> 
> Meanwhile, the others realize he is missing. And they will go south, not just for him, but for the people oppressed there as well! 
> 
> Rey also continues her quest...

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This is the beginning of the Egypt arc!

Armilla lunges straight at Finn and punches him in the stomach. Then she ducks a saber slash and with a kick knocks him down. "Really, why do you oppose us? Why did you leave the First Order? They treated you like family!" 

Finn struggles to get up. But he Force Pushes her back. "No. They treated me like cattle in a factory farm. No, worse. Ripped from my family as a baby, they raised me to kill and be killed for the selfish causes of Snoke, Hux, Phasma and Kylo! Not just me, many others! But of course we would be forgotten. We were below animals, after all! We don't matter! Only our leaders, who betrayed their families, matter!

This is why I am here. Because this sick and twisted sense of morality apparently will dominate the New Jedi Order. I am done with this. And I am here to stop the Corruption once and for all!" 

Armilla could attack him several times. She didn't take the chance because she was willing to listen. "Very well. Maybe you don't know what we are doing. We are fighting for the Greater Good, Finn! We are against the Corruption." 

"I don't believe you!" Finn charges with his lightsaber again, but Armilla teleports behind him. This is her vampiric ability. It allows her to always catch her prey easily. She digs her long, sharp nails in his back, making him wince in pain. He turns and slashes with his saber, but the vampire teleports again, this time in the pink sky of Limbo, and tosses three knives at the human. 

He stops all of them with the Force and fires his blaster, but Armilla uses her vampiric speed to dodge all of the bolts and lands a right hook to his face. 

Then she grabs him by the throat and chuckles. "You thought Caius and Bella were something, my little boy? No, no... they weren't real warriors. One was an old nobleman, and the other a woman who never tried to do something and expected rewards. 

Me? I am one of the best warriors of our kind." She almost chokes him, but decides to throw him to a wall instead and teleports behind him as he falls down. The lightsaber gets out of his hands. He goes to retrieve it, but the vampire girl grabs him by his leg, drags him towards her and stomps on his back with her foot.

But Finn, despite his injuries, is still a Padawan with some training, and manages to retrieve the lightsaber with the Force. As Armilla rubs his back with her foot, he suddenly turns and strikes her left leg, the one on top of his back, hard with the blue blade of hard light, managing to cut it off. 

The Vampire Lady teleports, holding her leg, and reattaches it to her fit body. Then she bares her teeth. She can afford to play with her toy later if she beats him now. So, she decides to be serious. 

With terrifying speed, she lands a flying kick on him and then slaps him with her left hand. He manages to stand up and performs a flurry of slashes, but she nimbly dodges all of them without even teleporting. 

In the end, he pretends to aim low and at the last moment he goes for the neck... but the vampire woman is quick enough to teleport away from the strike, avoiding it. Then she throws a big rock at him. He cuts it in half with his lightsaber, but she gets behind him and knees his back. She would have broken his spine if it wasn't metal. 

Finally, she wraps her arms around his body. Her cheek touches his as her fingers play with his neck. "I have won, human. I am impressed. You could beat most vampires at this point. But I just happen... to not be most vampires. You know, I might have reattached my leg, but the heat of your blade still hurts.

Even you, however, have your limits. You are too good for me to just kill and eat you. Oh no... I do believe you will entertain me a lot!" 

Finn knows there is no use to try to kill her with his saber. No, that would lead to her disarming him and him losing it in Limbo forever. He lost, and inaction is the best thing he can do right now. 

She leaves Limbo and travels with him at Egypt. Where she ties him up to a pole. "Stay here, cutie. I am going to introduce you to my friends soon."

"I would like for _my _friends to see this."__

__Ten minutes before, Rey and her scavenger army managed to beat the Agents in combat. After the victory over the Vikings, Rey has led her forces to rapid successes against both criminals and Agents._ _

__After her victory, she used the Force to find the marks of her friends and their allies. Since Finn was in Limbo, she didn't manage to find him._ _

__"No... this is why I wanted to keep him away... he died. He died and for what? He already helped saving the Galaxy! He already crippled an army of superweapons by destroying the main one and the enemy General! And he just... couldn't stop fighting?_ _

__Right. That's it. I am going to find the killer... and cut him to pieces."_ _

__She can hear a familiar voice. "Yes, granddaughter. Kill all of them. Make me proud."_ _

Rey orders her forces to advance to the south. It was already personal for her. But now. Now it became worse.

The sun shines on the biggest island of Greece. Leah wakes up and touches the side of her bed, hoping Finn is fine. When she touches only the bed, she immediately gets up and washes her face to make sure she isn't feeling sleepy. "Finn! Where are you?" 

She starts shouting his name, waking up everyone else. Poe runs at her.

"Leah! What happened? Where is Finn?" 

"I don't know. He... he vanished!" 

"Damn! This is serious. The last time a soldier vanished, we had to delay our plans for a day just to rescue him. Thankfully, we succeeded at beating the gangsters who captured him. 

Now my co-General and best friend is in danger. I am afraid I will have to delay the operation in Egypt." 

Embry gets out of the base and sees a letter at the stairs. "It says it's for our Alpha..." 

He rushes in and interrupts Poe and Leah with the letter. "It's a letter, Leah! For you!"

"It might be Finn... nice of him to inform me!" 

She opens the letter immediately. Even if it's a trick by the enemy, even if it contains a bomb, Leah has improved her durability, becoming more powerful as an Alpha and with her daily training, so she would survive with major injuries. 

It proves to be something by the enemy, but no bomb inside. Not much better though...

"Dear Leah Clearwater,

You impress me. Dogs will always protect humans, after all. Even when your old pack saw the light and made peace with us, you kept being speciesist on us for no reason. Humans aren't less murderous than us. We might drink their blood, but they eat the flesh of other poor sentient beings. Cattle. Sheep. Goats. Pigs. Fish. Chickens. 

You ane your pet human caused a lot of trouble to our glorious kind of immortals. We were the supreme beings, kings of this world, and now we are afraid of resting anywhere. 

But, as troublesome as your little pet is, he is also quite the looker and delicious. I found him helping civilians. Risking his life for some worthless animals. I tried to convince him that he is not going to gain a lot. But all inferior beings are the same. Stubborn, idiots, trying to teach them something is as effective as shouting to a brick wall.

I dragged him in Limbo to test his skills. Didn't expect him to actually beat an Elite Stygian, the pride and joy of Limbo. I had to grab him myself. 

Don't worry, I didn't kill him. Why should I tarnish such beauty? Instead, I took him as my own pet. If you want him back, don't worry! We are already in Egypt, waiting for you and the rest of your friends to come!

Have to leave you, dear, because I am playing with my new pet. 

Hugs and Kisses,  
Armilla, the Vampire Lady"

Leah rips the letter in half with all her strength. Then she rips it again. And again. And again. She turns into a wolf and eats the pieces. 

After a while, she calms down a little. "The bitch!" 

"What happened?" 

"Poe, I know where Finn is. We are going to Egypt right now! Tell our forces to start preparing as soon as possible."

"What happened?" 

"Finn is in Egypt. A vampire kidnapped him. And I am worried about what she is going to do with him... Also, she seems to hold humans at contempt. 

We have to save Finn as soon as possible."

"Indeed. But we have to be twice as careful now. They expect us and will prepare a trap." 

"True. We will not get there from one side. We will force the enemies to split up or surround them."

As the army is prepared, Rey and her scavenger army reach Germany, where a giant wall blocks their path. It's full of undead soldiers. Rey chuckles. "This is where the fun begins." 

She knows she is not facing living creatures. She knows that death is maybe a mercy for them. She will not hold back, instead she lets all her anger flow through her. 

Jumping from her ship, she activates her double lightsaber and charges at the undead. Zombie Privates with their rifles fire bullets to no avail, as she stops them with the Force or avoids them swiftly. She draws her blaster and with each shot she manages to land a hit. Soon, the Zombie Privates are dead.

With a fearsome battlecry, Rey dashes gallantly under fire from enemies and slashes many undead. Not all zombies are the same. Some run faster. Some have long claws. Some hold baseball bats or broken wooden swords and tiny wooden shields. Some have large tumors, and there are even undead nurses with syringes. 

These would overwhelm even ten normal Stormtroopers armed with blasters with their sheer numbers. 

But Rey is a Chosen One, a Jedi, and the woman who killed Palpatine, although barely. Her saber strikes demolish any cannon fodder in seconds, and these undead are no match for her. 

She has help, too, the scavengers who fly their ships and fire their blasters from above. The scavengers manage to take out many of the armed zombies on the giant wall.

"Something is wrong" Rey thinks. Since her mind and soul had nobody inside but herself, and no abusers, her critical thinking has returned. She slices and dices three enemies with each hit, but expects something bad to happen. 

And suddenly, more undead come from the ground. They are known as Grassmen because they emerge from soil, and their skins are filled with grass. Meanwhile, fat zombies carry exploding barrels and one barely misses a scavenger ship. Another zombie hurls a barrel at Rey, but she uses the Force, stops it in mid-air and sends it back at the undead, blowing him up. Then she shoots one of the Grassmen and he flinches. But keeps advancing. 

The final undead type that approaches is the Thrower. These zombies can throw many small axes at their enemies. They are also very accurate for mindless creatures, and only the Force saves Rey's forehead from a thrown axe.

She might be as powerful as hundreds, but Rey is still herself against a whole army. They won't stop coming. 

"Deploy the Scavenger Infantry!" the young Palpatine commands. The Scavengers deploy twenty armed men and women who fight off the zombies. All their lives, they stole and did their best to survive. Their survival instincts help them hold their own against the mindless brain eaters. 

Out of her rage fot everything the Darkness did to her, Rey fires a bolt of Force Lightning, frying five zombies at once. "Keep coming, abominations! Keep coming! You made me push the people who love me away! You made me be dependent on a man who treated me worse than Unkar Plutt!" She decapitates a Grassman. Then she continues screaming. "YOU MONSTERS TRIED TO MAKE ME LIKE YOU! COME ON! I WILL KILL YOU TO THE LAST CREATURE!" 

She impales a Hammerscull who was charging for a headbutt, slices slowly downwards and then cuts off its arms. Then she uses the Force to break the neck of another zombie. When it keeps walking, she shoots it dead. And finally, roaring, she uses the Force again and knocks thirty undead down. 

She dodges a thrown axe and glares at the zombies around her. If they could think about anything else but eating, they would have run away. 

Meanwhile, in Egypt, Armilla and two Vampire Infantrymen visit the cell of the very much alive Finn.

"Hello, cutie pie!" Armilla greets the black man. 

"Please, stop it. I feel uncomfortable." 

"You misunderstood, dear boy. I am in charge here. And we don't really care about how prisoners, how terrorists feel. Especially when we are talking about the man who staked one of our most famous people. And that was before you became a General and checkmated that fleet of planet-busters... heh. People will still call you useless regardless."

"Your leg, though, knows the truth very well."

Armilla shows him the burn on her leg. "Yeah. Hot stake of hard light. You know this can't be fully healed unless someone casts a healing spell, right? Because of you, I will carry this as a reminder of a human being too stubborn to surrender. It still hurts." 

She puts her hands on his shoulders and starts massaging them. "But it doesn't matter. All it matters is who wins in the end, my little pet. And seems like the winner is me, human." 

"Why don't you just kill me? Aren't the Silver Moblins those warriors that can't be easily replaced? I killed four of them. I am surprised you didn't execute me slowly."

"You will be surprised what you can live through. Oh no... you are willing to die for your precious freedom. For the precious freedom of your home and kind. I am not going to kill you. I am just going to keep you for the rest of your life here. 

I like your spirit. You have got spunk. Many humans do nothing but run away. You know what amuses me the most? A challenge. I have to admit, most vampires prey on the weak. Those who can't fight back. 

Cowards. This is why you can kill five of them at once."

One of the Vampire Infantry is about to speak, but Armilla stops massaging just to raise her finger. "Not you. This is what separates you from the rest. You are all trained warriors, who try to fight and kill other trained warriors. And I want to prey on warriors, too... this is why, apart from teleportation, I was trained to take people to Limbo and summon Stygians. To test the targets... and for nobody to notice me when I kidnap and eat people." 

Armilla cups the human's face. "Tomorrow, I will introduce you to my friends. My partner in crime, the Hammer of Abyss, is actually the stronger of us two. Apart from them, you will meet the royal couple of Egypt... the king is one of the most powerful vampires who ever existed. And I have some more... but I won't tell you, because I want to keep them a surprise. Well, I did promise you an introduction, right?

They are probably going to like you. A lot."

After rubbing his chin, the woman and her escorts leave Finn alone.

Meanwhile, the Resistance, led by Poe, is travelling to Egypt.

Poe is piloting his X-Wing, BB-8 also being with him. In his sides, two pilots fly their own X-Wings. Poe sees them and reminds himself of Jessika and Zorii. Force, he misses them.

Below them are two ships. And not starships, actual ships. The Resistance managed to buy them and they are going towards Egypt. One has Toni, a few rebels, Leah and her entire pack. The other has Q and the rest of the Men of Crete. 

Greyfur sees Leah in the front of the ship, looking at the horizon. "My Alpha, are we going to see the sights?" 

"All I care about at this moment is to save him. He risks his life for us and others every single day. Should we ignore him for that?" 

_Hold on, Finn, we are coming. I am coming._

There is the cartoon playing again, with Charles defending innocents from the mustache-twirling traitorous Finn and his big bad wolf. 

After he survives a poisoning attempt, Charles sees a man kidnapping a woman. "Will you love me?" 

Charles creates a supernatural bond between the two, merging their souls. So, the woman says "yes". 

Charles turns to the audience. "What hero am I if I don't make people love each other? Make love, not war! Remember, these bonds are the ultimate expression of love! Support them!" 

The Resistance changes the channel as the oh-so-evil Finn and Leah make an oh-so-evil plan to destroy Charles and his shops of love potions and loyalty imprint vials. 

"Mwahahahahaha! This way, I am going to sabotage many couples and friendships!"

Q turns to the others. "Raise hands. Who believes this is a load of shit?" 

Many raise their hands, but others weren't paying attention at all, so they did nothing. Two of the soldiers have already slept. 

The ships don't have just soldiers. Their wives and children volunteered to help their husbands and fathers, by carrying food, water and ammunition. Some women and older chidren even fight. 

Suddenly, a zombie lands between the two ships and drowns in the Mediterranean Sea. "Ok..." Embry wonders. "Where did it come from?" 

In Germany, Rey also wonders where the zombie she pushed back with the Force landed...

But only for two seconds, as a zombie swings its broken sword, aiming for her back. She senses it with the Force and ducks, turns and decapitates it. A scavenger behind her shoots three Zombie Privates, but gets wounded by a thrown axe. Rey Force Heals him and uses her lightsaber to stab another Grassman.

Then she sees another scavenger dead, and zombies starting chewing on her body. Rey fries all of them with Force Lightning. "DIE, ABOMINATIONS!"

One zombie grabs her arms, but she shakes it off, kicks its face and rips its tongue off with the Force. Then she brings three Throwers down the walls, where they become a pile of green juice. An exploding barrel comes in her way, but she uses the Force and sends it at more undead. Then she uses it again to crush the lungs of a zombie. She cuts off the right arm of a Grassman and slashes it once more, killing it easily. 

Then she uses Lightning again and fries twenty undead at once. "POWER! I HAVE UNLIMITED POWER!"

In the end, a giant cop zombie rushes through the wall. Its name is the Demolisher... and for good reason. But Rey points her saber at it. "Finally, a worthy opponent!"

Ten minutes later, the Resistance arrives in Egypt.

They first see the port of Alexandria. "There used to be a great beacon, considered a miracle for its age." 

"Are we going to see the pyramids?"

"If the General is trapped there, we have no choice."

"I heard the pyramids are created by aliens."

"There is no life outside Earth, you know."

Poe, who has just landed, struggles not to laugh.

The ship with Toni and Leah has arrived second. 

But the government has already put patrols. The Resistance is immediately spotted by an Agent, and undead Egyptian soldiers rise from the ground. They all have sickles and shields. And the ancient Egyptian wigs.

The shields are metal, able to block bullets, and the sickles sharper than knives. Three rebels in the first line fall. Poe orders an attack from the sides, with the werewolves being the distraction, fighting in the front lines. Toni uses the Force to break the lines of the undead, the werewolves finish off the front lines, while the Men of Crete destroy the monsters with their guns and knives from the sides. Leah is first, fighting with the rage of the three men the undead have killed. Three undead meet their second death at her hands.

As the last zombie falls, Leah turns to Little Finn. "Are you ok?"

The mouse nods.

Leah smiles at him. Then she looks at the horizon. _"Finn... I am going to save you."_

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sadly, good guys don't always win! Note, Finn had already won a duel with an Elite Stygian and Armilla is one of the most competent vampires. How can I make the heroes the underdogs if they always win? It has no tension! 
> 
> However, Armilla isn't the toughest enemy in this arc. You will meet the rest next chapter.
> 
> Do you like Rey's development? Or are here just to see zombies getting demolished?
> 
> Missed the propaganda? Of course the government would condone love potions.
> 
> These undead soldiers aren't the toughest, but are just the warm-up! Later, it gets harder!
> 
> Please leave me feedback!


	14. Stardust Holy War

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> In which Finn meets the leaders of the enemy in Egypt, the Resistance finds an anime that can give them clues, Rey fights a giant cop zombie and Toni faces an extremely dangerous Moblin.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Yes, I started watching Jojo recently. Stardust Crusaders is my favorite season... though I planned making Egypt an arc even beforehand, because the toughest evil vampire from Leah's canon is an Egyptian... 
> 
> Also, I actually broke down remembering Finn's treatment a bit before starting to write this, especially in comparison to worse characters, but this doesn't mean I won't let him struggle.

Rey tries to Force Push the Demolisher back. But the undead is one ton of muscles, and charging at full speed, and the Force only slows it down for two seconds. The monster actually reaches her and gives her a punch so hard that it knocks her several feet away, drawing blood. 

"Hmmm... so, you actually have someone who can fight? Very well. I am no longer your god's slave, creature!" Rey fires her blaster at the Demolisher, which does some little damage. It hurts it like a vaccine would hurt a human. 

Then she uses the Force to jump at the wall and slay all the Throwers there with her lightsaber. She watches her fellow Scavengers, with mild casualties, mowing down the enemy cannon fodder.

On that part of the wall, under her feet, the sublimal message is "VACCINES EXIST TO CONTROL YOU, THEY ARE A THREAT TO HUMANITY". Or was, as the Demolisher smashes it with a Bull Rush.

Rey finds herself falling, and uses the Force to slow down her fall. Then she manages to grab hold of a chunk still standing and avoids having all her bones broken. She jumps high again and shoots at a zombie who was about to bite one of the scavengers. 

But the Demolisher charges once more! Rey jumps as it smashes the wall to pieces and plunges down with her lightsaber, running it vertically through the giant undead cop's back. This hurts the zombie really badly and even staggers it, allowing Rey to get a couple of more lightsaber slashes in. 

The giant, muscular policeman manages to get up and perform three devastating punches, but Rey dodges all of them and kicks it. It barely flinches before giving her a devastating punch in the stomach, making her spit blood and sending her flying backwards. 

Rey looks the creature straight into its soulless eyes and grits her teeth. "What, monster? You expect me to fall for you because of this? You think I am a mindless zombie, just like you? I am not weak. In fact, I have power! Unlimited power!" 

She fires Force Lightning at the Demolisher. The monster keeps charging. The streams of electricity are powerful, but the Demolisher can stand its ground... until, weakened by its previous injuries, it burns and turns into ash.

"See, abomination? I can take care of myself. I need nobody!"

Meanwhile, in Egypt, and more specifically in Alexandria, the Resistance is relaxing. Embry is watching anime again. 

"What are you watching?" Greyfur asks.

"About 1980, this place became the center of a big quest. The famous Stardust Crusade. A family of heroes took off to save a family member from the greatest enemy of their bloodline... one of the mightiest vampires who ever walked on Earth." 

BB-8 is listening with curiosity, and so does Poe. 

"The vampire's name was... ?" 

BB-8, hearing the name, was confused. Impossible. His best droid friend was so small and innocent. BB-8 was cute, but also hardened by the fights against the First Order. 

Poe pets his droid. "Oh, don't worry, D-O is still a good friend and a cute droid. No relation to the vampire that probably never existed." 

BB-8 leaves a bleep of relief. 

The Alpha comes rushing in. "A quest in Egypt... to slay vampires? What a coincidence! I propose to watch this show in our free time... it might help us find an enemy weakness. You never know."

"Leah, do you believe in good luck?" 

"No. But I do believe I can get something from this." 

So, to relax, they see the first episodes of SC. It starts with our hero in prison, where he put himself to avoid being a threat. 

"So, people CAN be afraid of their own powers. Already we have something." 

As the heroes see the other heroic team assembling through fights, they wonder if they can recruit villains who are forced to do this.

Poe interrupts. "Actually, this is why we won the Galactic War for good."

"The Dyad?" 

"That, too, but Kylo wasn't forced to do that! I am speaking about something else. Do you know why history shows only Sith Troopers as basic enemies in the Battle of Exegol?"

"Why?" 

"Because after regaining his confidence meeting Jannah, Finn proposed to show the truth to the Stormtroopers. He told them everything the First Order did to them and promised that he would help them find their families, regardless of joining him or not. 

He said that joining our cause, though, would help them protect their families from Palpatine's superweapons and stand up to their abusers. 

Before he left to fight for this planet, he gave Jannah the data of the Stormtrooper Program, which had information of every planet and city where they took children, so they would check where to go next and which places to avoid. They also wrote the families, to know from which families they already took thd children. 

General Hux was behind all of this. Something tells me he wanted to keep it a secret. Maybe even delete it. But when he became a spy, he certainly stopped thinking about that. Maybe this is how Finn got access. Hux wanted to apologize by letting him shoot him. And he also... gave him the codes. For the program.

He knew he could not be forgiven. He knew he could not be justified. But, out of spite for the late Supreme Leader never facing justice, he decided to undermine him this way, by turning his troops against him. The real victims."

"I heard about Hux, Poe" Q replies. "This might be, in a way, noble of him. But it still won't excuse everything he has done." 

"Of course it won't. He was a monster. But, in the end, he did something right. Now, he is dead and Jannah leads the operation of finding the families of the Stormtroopers. It's very easy, because Rey told me she used her lineage and power to take control of the First Order. She was initially going to keep it working, and I don't know what was making her do it, but as the days passed she disbanded all the Stormtroopers, setting them all free. Now the Order is no more."

"Sounds like Rey was corrupted. But, what did this to her?" 

"I think I know" Leah responds. "And already told you. I am not going to say it again and become boring."

Embry remembers her theory. "And what if she was in full control?" 

"The Jedi would never answer her calls. She, by herself, was worthy."

The heroes see the episode with the Hanged Man and the Emperor. Hol Horse, the Emperor's user, isn't liked by Poe much. "I hate anything that has to do with an Emperor."

"Palpatine flashbacks, Poe?" 

"Yes, Toni. He nearly destroyed our fleet by himself. With his strongest attack of Force Lighting. Thankfully, Rey with the help of Kylo stopped him." 

"Thankfully. Now, I wonder what happened to Rey's true love." 

"That's why we are here. At least, one of the reasons we are here." 

Leah is whistling and saying something in the lines of "Hold yourself, Leah".

Q is simply watching the bullets which magically home on targets and can do severe damage even by grazing. 

"Hmm... Poe is a very competent General, but his aiming needs to be a little better... I am going to build this for him soon." 

But he realizes he does not have the materials for something like this. 

Poe himself sees that even with this weapon, Hol Horse struggles to find a target. "Man, if you have problems hitting with this, you are no gunman. But this weapon is perfect for Stormtroopers. They might start hitting something." 

Somewhere else, a former Stormtrooper has company. 

Armilla introduces him to her friends. "Hello, Hammer! And greetings, oh mighty royal couple!"

The ruler of Egypt turns to her. "Call us Majesties."

"You forgot I am sent by one of your superiors, just like the Hammer." 

The ruler's mate holds the hand of her husband. "Fair enough. We don't want to anger the Archdemons."

"What is the reason you brought us?" 

Armilla strokes Finn's cheek gently. "To introduce you to my new pet." 

"I am not your p..." 

Her other hand cups his face forcefully, preventing him from talking. "Yeah, he is a bit feral. But he is still truly adorable."

The Hammer approaches them. "He is the man who killed the three Silver Moblins alone? Well done, Armilla. But some undead were destroyed by his friends. They are here, in Alexandria."

"Very well. They are strong enough for Silver Moblins... but silver is for the second place. And Egypt actually has a much stronger guard than Greece... There are many troops under the command of us four. Greece had a weak guard if you don't count the giant beasts, and a relatively strong rebel cell." 

Finn manages to speak. "Well, we have fought worse than you, bloodsucker. We have fought with every disadvantage possible. We will not surrender so easily, Armilla."

The mate of Egypt's governor approaches him, places a hand in each of his cheeks and starts squeezing. "The only reason you are not dead is that we find you cute. In fact, mostly Armilla does. Fighting against the powerful is not bravery. It's foolishness. It's pathetic. Right now, your life is in our hands. I hope you realize what I said and be a good boy." 

"Tia, stop petting him. He is but a filthy human."

"But, darling, I heard he managed to destroy Bella without even having to fight her. Can you imagine the potential?" 

"You speak like Amun. The man who turned and used me for my power only... I would like to thank you for telling me everything. All that obsession, and he never truly cared about me... He didn't know that there is one thing dumber than standing up to your stronger ones."

"Trying to control them."

"Exactly. We vampires are so very flammable. It was easy for me to strike my true enemy. So easy to turn him to ash."

Finn is not afraid of death. And he knows they are not planning to kill him, anyway. "Your Majesty." 

The ruler of Egypt turns to the man. "I hope it's not an insult, or I will ignore Armilla and the way she looks at you and rip the air from your lungs."

"No. A question. Is your name Ben or something?" 

"You are good at guesses. I like that. Yes. My name is Benjamin. One of the three strongest vampires who ever existed. My power is famous among the vampires."

"I thought Bella was the most famous."

"Yes. She didn't earn it. Her power was useful, indeed. So many vampires focus on mental abilities, with emotions, mind reading, sense drain and more. Being able to block all of them, especially when they rely on their abilities, is impressive. In big vampire teamfights, it can effortlessly turn the tables. 

But you probably know her pathetic death. Her ability didn't save her from a human's stake."

"It was a lightsaber. A hot stake of light for you."

Armilla teleports close to the human. "I can assure you, it hurts badly... it can also slash parts of your bodies off. Don't underestimate the enemy. We should not hold anything back. There will be no mistakes. 

Let's send the first wave to Alexandria." 

"Agree. After all, inaction from them means that they probably look for clues at how to beat us."

The Hammer has no idea that he is right, in a way. 

"So, even if an enemy doesn't need to breathe, tar can immoblize them? Nice!"

"That 'Lovers' stand sounds creepy. I hope there is no enemy with such an ability." 

"We saw enough today. Now, let's try to do some damage to the demons and their minions."

The Sun shines on Alexandria. Inside the city, people are working peacefully. Outside of the city, monsters are waiting patiently for the rebels to come. They have some red cobras that spit blue poison at their targets and prey, some Pricklies, which are cute, round, sentient cacti, many Agents, all quite armed, and a guy in a robe.

Two Agents are talking to each other. "Should we get inside and look for the enemy?" 

"No. I can see them coming."

"How many are coming?" 

"They are about twenty."

"Oh, well, we've got this."

The Agents see the werewolves and Men of Crete charging. Or at least a fraction of them. Poe and Leah are in the front line, and so is Toni. Q, BB-8 and Little Finn stayed behind to guard their hotel.

The Agents open fire all at once. Three humans and a female werewolf die by gunfire before they reach the enemy. But Leah manages to get close and punch the first Agent in the face. A bullet grazes Poe, but does nothing thanks to his armor. Poe retaliates with his blaster and shoots six enemies dead.

Toni uses his lightsaber to power through two Pricklies. Then he cuts a red cobra in half.

Two Agents fire their guns at him, but he simply stops the bullets with the Force and sends them back. The Agents are fast enough to duck. But a Force Push sends both of them unconscious. Then the Force user stabs an Agent with the green saber in the heart and barely dodges some blue poison. With the Force he pinpoints the cobra which spat it and chokes it with its own tail. An Agent aims at him with his Beretta. Toni simply turns and tells him the truth.

"These creatures want to destroy your species. Don't serve them. Please, protect your kind, or you are in danger."

"These creatures want to destroy my species. I won't serve them. I will protect my kind, and don't want to be in danger."

The Agent turns and shoots two Pricklies. "For humanity!" 

After some shots, the two monsters drop dead. The cloaked figure dashes forward and attacks the Agent, landing some powerful punches before finishing him off with a kick.

Then they remove their hood. It's a Moblin. His color is not ordinary. 

Toni breathes a sigh of relief as he sees it's not a Silver Moblin... But then he remembers which metal is just above silver. 

_Gold. There is actually a Golden Moblin._

"I have a bad feeling about this... But I have a lightsaber. It can cut through gold..."

The Golden Moblin chuckles. "What a coincidence. We have the best weapons in my level..." 

And he draws a lightsaber too, which he ignites. The color is red, bled by the monster's rage and hatred. 

It contrasts with Toni's green.

They stare each other into the eyes and charge! The sabers clash rapidly three times and the two trade a swift kick to the face of each other. Both step back, waiting for their opponent to make their move. 

Poe runs to help with his blaster, but a Prickly gets close enough to punch him. Poe dodges the hit, retaliates with his blaster and fries the Prickly. Then he shoots two cobras before they spit poison at him. Meanwhile, Leah is fighting against three Agents who wield axes and winning. After she has knocked the last one down, she gets shot in the right arm by a Desert Eagle. It incapacitates her arm completely. 

The Desert Eagle belongs to a Haregirl, who is aiming again. But one of the Men of Crete exploits the fact that Haregirls don't feel pain to shoot her in the back three times. The bullets pierce her, but despite the damage she feels nothing. After the shots she collapses, dead. 

Then he offers his hand to Leah. "Are you fine?"

"I am fine."

The first round passes and both saber duelists pause to catch their breath. Then Toni uses the Force to push the Golden Moblin five meters back. 

"You are good. But I am a Jedi."

The Golden Moblin manages to stand on his feet. Saber at right hand, he charges again quickly, and only the Force allows Toni not to get cut in half by the charge. Then the sabers start clashing again and it's the Golden Moblin's turn to fight dirty. He throws sand in Toni's eyes and blinds him for a second. 

Then his saber penetrates Toni's torso. 

"Pathetic."

Elsewhere, in the enemy fortress, Armilla's guests are leaving. "Nice blood. You made it quite warm."

"Thank you, Benjamin." 

"Have a nice evening!" 

The Vampire Lady is left alone with her pet. She approaches him shaking her hips. "I hope you enjoyed their company, boy!" 

"I haven't heard so much degradation of humanity in my life. And I used to be treated as a number." 

"I know. Even I, a soulless vampire, saw from your Galaxy's history the way you were treated. Tell me. You tried to sacrifice yourself to save the Resistance. You would save Luke if you succeeded. And I saw what happened next." 

She puts her hands in his cheeks and he starts sweating. He knows what will follow. _He knows._

"You got assaulted. Kissed against your will. Like this!"

And her lips come very close to his, as her eyes close. Finn's eyes, on the other hand, are wide open by surprise. 

Her kiss felt cold. Cold like ice. He felt like it touched his very soul, and a chill came down his metal spine.

She, however, was happy, enjoying the warmth of his lips, and savoring every moment. She took a minute to finally break. 

"Aaaahhhh... You taste... delicious!" 

Finn, for the first time since Starkiller Base, feels scared. 

Armilla rubs his chin. "What's the matter? You know, I can feel your desperation. To feel loved. To understand why you are not. You are just like Leah. Or not? 

Anyway, I believe you deserve better than her. Or Rey. But I will tell you more tomorrow... when I am better prepared." 

She leaves her captive alone. He breathes a sigh of relief. "I will escape!" he thinks. "Nothing will stop me!"

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Could add more, but I preferred to 1. Not put too much because my eyes are weary from all the time with screens and 2. Leave a cliffhanger.
> 
> Remember, stay home, stay safe and avoid the Coronavirus. About the thing with vaccines, I have to say that conspiracy theorists actually have a very good imagination. If they grow up a little, they may also tell it from reality! 
> 
> Like the Demolisher and the Golden Moblin? Well, not every zombie and Moblin is cannon fodder! From the big villains, whom do you like the most?
> 
> Hux is still a dick, but you can do good for evil reasons. Plus, it goes handy with TROS! 
> 
> Thanks for the 400 hits!


	15. Conflict

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> As the rescue group fight hard challenges, Finn decides to help them save him. 
> 
> Rey has other problems.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Note: This chapter is big. And I do mean big. And a lot of things happen. Everyone has a moment!

Toni stands on his knees. The stab was too painful, and he has to sacrifice some life force to Force Heal somebody... he has trouble doing this to himself. 

The Golden Moblin raises his lightsaber to cut off the Jedi's head... but a werewolf chrages forward! Gold, unlike silver, can't hurt werewolves on contact and so the wolf manages to land multiple rapid punches... 

However, the Moblin is still far more of a threat than his silver counterparts. He manages to retaliate with his lightsaber and slice the werewolf to pieces. 

However, Toni finally manages to get up and regain his composure. He leaps and, while on air, goes near the enemy and aims low. The Golden Moblin lowers his saber to block the strike, but the Jedi quickly switches stance with his superhuman speed and goes for the neck. The green saber passes through the throat of the monster and his head falls off. 

"Ouch... my torso... that was rough." He approaches the dead werewolf and bows down to him. "Thank you. You saved my life. I hope I avenged you. May the Force be with you." 

Reminding himself of wolves, he sees Leah having a very heavy wound in her arm. He knows his own life force is limited now. But Leah... Leah must keep fighting. He uses his Force Healing and quickly closes the wound. But his life force is clearly now too little, and he can barely walk.

An Agent tries to finish him off, but Q is marginally faster and saves the Force user with his sniper rifle.

The rebels return to their base. They managed to save Alexandria and beat one of the strongest infantrymen of the government. However, they still have no information about their missing friend, and Toni will be out of action for some time. 

For the night, the Resistance keep watching anime. And they manage to get to Egypt. 

"Leah, what's your favorite moment?" 

"I will say it this way. What Armilla owes me... can't be repaid with money. I really want to make her pay." 

Greyfur is curious. "What do you see in Finn?" 

"Myself." 

The heroes in the anime get to Egypt and they meet a dog that can control sand. "Because the team needs a pet, am I right?" 

Leah is petting Little Finn. "Yes. Every team needs a cute pet." 

Poe complains about realism. "How can somebody control and make water in the fucking desert?" 

"Some warriors are strong enough to overcome the limitations of nature." 

"That's true, Q. We have to be prepared for anything."

"The enemy is blind, but his senses enhanced!" 

"I swear, all blind superhumans have senses superior to a vampire's! And a vampire can smell a human way before they reach them!" 

Ruins of the second Death Star. Finn rushes to help Rey. With the help of the Force and his training, he has managed to climb the entire thing. His loved one was in danger, trying to fight off the Dark Side and the man who kidnapped her. Degraded her. Hurt her. 

He had to help. He also had to get some payback for his slashed back. He had the chance on Pasaana to just shoot Kylo. The demons showed him just shouting to Rey and the Knights of Ren not doing a thing. Actually, he couldn't do anything because he had to defend himself against a Knight of Ren and they fought to a standstill. His skills and Rey's staff helped him hold his own, since the Knight had but a regular broadsword. 

He missed one chance. Not another. 

But Rey showed her gratitude for him coming for help by pushing him away using the Force. He remembers this well. But this time it's even worse. Rey is healing Kylo's scar on his face. _Apologizing for standing up to Kylo. For his victims._ But this time, immediately. And the two kiss at this point. 

Finn rushes to stop them. 

But Kylo freezes him with the Force. "What do you think you are doing? Our dyad is the purest bond in the Galaxy. I am the true Chosen One, not you. You are not worthy of being a Jedi. Not worthy of being with Rey. 

This happens when you only give. You never take!" 

Then he talks to Rey about how awesome her power is. Her power. 

Suddenly, Finn wakes up and finds himself in that cell again. "Phew. Was only a bad dream. I hope I can escape..." He uses the Force to break the ropes holding him and uses his lightsaber to create a hole.

He forgot that vampires are most active at night. The nightmare made him act only on instinct. Five vampires charge at him when they sense him trying to evade underground. They also did a mistake. Forgot to remove his weapons before putting him in the cell. But he was all tied up and there was no fire, so he would need exceptional strength to break through. 

Finn uses the Force to sense the enemies and manages to stake the first vampire. The second one charges from behind, faster than the human eye can see... and finds himself wondering how a blue lightsaber struck his face for the last three seconds of his two hundred years of life. 

The third and the fourth one charge simultaneously, and Finn uses the Force to sense them, like he did with the previous one. He dodges at the last second, and they are very close to punch each other... and just fast enough to avoid this. But a Force Push knocks both of them down and blaster bolts wound them. The last vampire sneaks behind Finn, who turns and stakes her quickly. 

But the two remaining enemies charge, in spite of their burning wounds. One stops in his tracks with a shot in the eye, the second one manages to punch Finn and send him back. Then he charges again, but the black man waits and pierces his throat with his lightsaber. 

Finn knows he most definetely can't beat everyone. And that they will catch up to him. But he is going to help his friends save him as much as he can. 

He used to run away. It's no use now. He won't just run.

He needs to reach the top of the mansion. Hellhounds growl and lunge at him, but the blaster and the lightsaber destroy these dogs. A Bull Demon charges at him, but he manages to cut through a wall with his saber and dodge. Then he starts shooting from behind until the monster drops dead. 

Next are some Gibdos patrolling. Finn knows he must not be spotted, or their screams will paralyze him and then they can seize him. But they are also full of flammable bandages... and Finn really wants to do some damage to the mansion he is held in. And now, he has his full composure back.

He uses the Force to rip a torch off the wall and send it at a beautiful red carpet and the Gibdo walking on it, burning both to cinders. He does the same to cremate the rest of the Gibdos... 

But now he blocked his own way! Turning back, he sees some Moblins with swords and spears coming at him and starts shooting them with his blaster until all of them are dead. One of the Moblins, blue in color, comes last and blocks the bolts with his iron shield. He reaches Finn and raises his sword. But the human parries with his saber and kills the soldier with a riposte through the stomach. 

He goes to another corridor and hides as Stalcops are rushing to check out the fire. It keeps spreading and burns some portraits. They quickly call the Water Spell Punks to put the fire out. All these paintings are valuable, and some of them are even sentient. 

So, Finn starts climbing to the top. He steals some dynamites and uses one to blow up three Stalcops coming at him. The second one is for a Feral Werewolf who can tank many blaster bolts. The dynamite does severe damage, and a headshot finishes the monster before she heals. 

The next obstacle is a Silver Skeleton. Finn knows he can't easily win a straight fight against it. He waits until it stands under a chandelier and shoots at the ceiling. His first shot misses, making the monster cautious, and it jumps out of the way when the second one finds its mark. So, Finn uses the Force to push the skeleton right under the heavy falling object, crushing it. 

Then he blows it up with dynamite before it reassembles.

But he knows that it's far from over. He has to keep walking. 

Meanwhile, Rey and her forces had made a camp and fell asleep, except for two guards. The Scavenger sees herself on Exegol, where her vile grandfather awaits.

"YOU!"

"Yes, grandchild. Me. The very reason you exist."

"You are a monster."

"So was Kylo. And, instead of killing him, you kissed him. You probably thought he was blameless because you saw his chest or something. You thought that by beating me, the Dark Side had no power over you. No. You pushed away everyone who loved you and ignored innocents just to be with someone who hurt you. 

I would say you make me proud, since this is quite Dark, but... not so fast. As I absorbed part of the Dyad, I was capable of taking the powers of all the Sith. But also something... something else. Snoke said something about a dark god who rules over the wicked. I got a small taste of his power. It was... delicious. 

He made you his pawn, didn't he? To glorify abuse and make you and everyone whom you inspire slaves with no sense of right and wrong. How embarrassing... at least I say that the Dark Side is the only solution to problems. To help others. He made you think you followed the Light."

"What do you want from me, old geezer? To be killed again?" 

"No. To show you your destiny! It's to be a player, and not a pawn. Kill the... did Snoke call him the Prince or something? He is still no Emperor like us! Kill him and take his place. Then you can have all the worlds at your feet. And, since you are oh-so-benevolent, they will meet peace and prosperity."

"No. I have to stop him. And I will be a player, just with my rules. Not Kylo's, not Finn's, not the Dark One's, not yours! Only mine!" 

"Don't do this for me. Do this for yourself. I am a monster. And proud of it." 

"This is the first time you speak sense." 

She turns her back to leave, not interested. 

But Palpatine isn't finished. "There is, however, another big problem. The Traitor. I know your true love is him. After the way he treated you, it could make sense. But now he left you alone, for something that was not your fault. You are innocent in this.

I made a mistake. I underestimated him. Pryde was a General before your were born, and I had an entire fleet of planet-busters at my command. Because of the Traitor, I lost it all. He did the checkmate. 

The power behind the dyad didn't want you close to him. I advice you to do the opposite. Find him, grab him and have him all to yourself to play with. He shouldn't have turned his back on you. Don't ask him to come back. Take him."

As Rey doesn't know what to do, the Resistance is also sleeping. Except for Greyfur and four more werewolves who stay on guard. One of them watches TV to see Al Astor's face. 

"Breaking news! Terrorists stormed a frozen tundra and destroyed some towns! The terrorists are believed to be the whores of S.I.T., who murdered one of their own leaders who was just defending the small, peaceful Cliff Town.

Their current most dangerous member is known as Anna, who is a pyromaniac and a stripper who has a very big bounty. Anyone who brings her dead or alive will become the head of the Agents.

To other news, an innocent woman's mansion is set on fire by unseen assailants. It's a bit north from Cairo, and I would plead the firefighters to come here immediately! People are in immediate danger!" 

"Al Astor has compassion? Funny!"

"We must save them!" 

"But we don't know the exact location and are too far away!" 

Meanwhile, in the mansion, another Gibdo is burned. The Water Spell Punks managed to put out the initial fire, but it was just a distraction.

Finn has set some more fires. Firefighters come with their vehicles and try to put them out. Finn knows they are innocent, and he doesn't stop them from doing their jobs. After all, at this moment, they are more heroic than him, since they don't know that they help oppressors and just do their jobs. 

He keeps walking, praying these people won't get hurt. With his lightsaber he penetrates one of the Vampire Infantry in the heart and then cuts off his head. He throws it in the fire. He finally reaches the top, where he confronts a Reaper floating. He fires at the monster, but the killing machine teleports and dodges easily all the shots. He appears behind Finn and slashes his back. Then with the Force he pushes him close to the window of the attic and actually manages to break it. 

The human hangs on and manages to get up. He barely dodges the vase coming at him and uses the Force himself to push the Reaper into a wall. Then he manages to get a shot in, but the Reaper teleports behind him and raises his scythe for a vertical strike.

Finn rolls at the last second and dodges the strike. Then he Force Pushes the hooded figure out of the window. But the Reaper manages to teleport and avoid falling that way. He Force Pushes the black man back and knocks him down. Then he pulls him closer and raises the scythe again... only to be stabbed by the lightsaber. 

As the hooded killer starts screaming, he gets stabbed twice more. Then he turns to a dark purple mist. 

Finn chuckles. He did it. He actually destroyed a Reaper. Though he is bleeding. And vampires can smell blood better than anything else. And that said something. 

He has managed to reclaim his holographic transmitter. He uses it to send a message. "I am alive and imprisoned in a mansion. They don't want to kill me, but they degrade me every day. Please hurry. The mansion is a bit north from Cairo. There is no city surrounding it. It's close to..."

Suddenly, he loses signal and is dragged to Limbo. 

Where he is immediately surrounded by Stygians, two of which are Elite. Demon Servants are also here with tridents and whips. Imps, Implings, Flying Imps and Imp Lords also wait to hurl fireballs. 

Finn is weakened by the Reaper. His suit is wet with his own blood. But he is going to fight. Fight until he can fight no longer. Knowing he can't take them all at this point. 

But then the enemy gets reinfocements. Armilla herself, followed by the Vampire Infantry, consisting of fourty armored vampires. Finally, the Hammer of Abyss is here. 

"Wow. I am just one man. Why so many measures?"

"To ensure you won't escape." the Hammer responds. "You idiot. Do you know how many of us you killed? How much of our property is lost? Right now, innocent firefighters put themselves in danger because of you!"

Armilla teleports close to the man and touches his face. "You are very lucky. Unlike you, who burned paintings of immeasurable value just because some of them were cursed and you wanted to damage our forces, I don't destroy beauty with no remorse. 

You have no chance to escape now. Even if you win, you don't know how to leave this place. Besides, an Elite Stygian and I managed to capture you. Now you face an army injured."

"Yeah? Well, I am going to take a lot of you with me! Do you want another scar that will never heal?" 

"No. You aren't. You put the firefighters in danger. As they leave, vampires are waiting." The Hammer grins, then continues talking. "They are going to kill and eat all of them because they are hungry. 

But only if I give them the order. Which will happen only if you resist. Your freedom... for their lives. Technically, you will kill them. And Al will be more than happy to frame you and show you as a criminal. 

And for every elite you kill, we will also attack and destroy a city. Surrender!"

Finn raises his hands. "I surrender."

The Hammer orders the vampires outside the mansion not to attack the firefighters. Armilla grabs Finn's neck. "Good boy. This is why the Dark Side is stronger. Because empathy is weakness. When you only give... you never take!"

The Hammer also approaches. "And what I said about the cities... We will also destroy a city if you attempt to escape again. Are the lives of thousands less important to you than your freedom?"

"No."

"Good. Because you will kill them if you try to leave again."

Finn is worried. He prays the others take his message. He tries in vain to tell Armilla that this is sickening. She replies, with no emotion, that it's necessary and right. And that the only one to blame for the upcoming attacks would be himself.

The next day, the Resistance gets Finn's message. "We need some more accurate information. But at least we have something. We have to go south."

"But Toni? Toni can't fight for now!"

"Well, we will go forward without him for a short while. Half of you stay at the hotel. The rest will go forward."

Poe, Leah, Q, BB-8, ten werewolves and thirty Men of Crete start marching towards Cairo. Behind them, four women, armed with pistols, carry supplies and the tents.

Q realizes that on foot this is dumb, so he proposes everyone using vehicles. Leah responds that the werewolves can keep up on foot. 

So, the supplies and all of the humans get to the vehicles. Q made sure to make a Light Tank, and puts food and ammunition in the back of his car, which has the four women alongside him. The other humans, who can't pilot or fit in the tank, have borrowed cars. Poe and his wingmen fly above them, while Leah and her pack follow on foot with their tremendous speed. 

After advancing at enormous speed for three hours, they make a camp to rest. One of the rebels, a man, used to be a chef, and he cooks meat for everyone. He also makes carrots and potatoes, because one of the rest is a vegan. However, said vegan doesn't hate fellow humans for eating meat. 

As they are eating, they hear people approaching. Many people. They are actually undead Egyptian infantry with spears or shields and sickles. Along with them are some Gibdos, but also other mummies that instead of paralyzing with their screams, they breathe poison. And also some Agents, with the help of a Demian, a fat droid that has a rocket launcher. They are led by a Daira. Dairas are hybrids of ogres and crocodiles, monsters common to Egypt since the Dark One took over. 

The Daira approaches and points at the humans. "You are under arrest for murder and slavery!"

The humans and werewolves look at the army confused. "Murder? The Agents, vampires and demons attacked first! What slavery? You use mindless undead. We don't."

"No." an Agent responds. "Right now, you condone murder and slavery. You filthy humans think you are some sort of master race. That somehow, your are worth more than cattle."

"Uhm, you are a human too, you moron."

"So? Should I not be ashamed about the rest of my species? They are horrible! Look... Look at you! You are eating sentient beings!"

"So do your masters. I will say that these dicks also eat sapient beings!" 

"This does not justify you. Humanity, and only humanity, is vile for this."

"Maybe it's the quantity, you know, and not the type of the diet." 

"But... You think you, human, are worth something more than a cow? Actually, cows are worth more than you. All humans are parasites. And their extinction will improve this world!"

BANG! The Agent who was speaking gets a bullet to the head. 

"Starting with yours!"

The Daira orders his troops to attack. Leah orders her werewolves to flank them from the sides. Poe and his wingmen board their ships and start shooting at the enemy. "Good thing they have no air support!" Q uses his cloak and sniper rifle and fires a bullet at a Gibdo, injuring it. Two more shots finish it off. 

The Demian fires a rocket and blows a human up. But it gets shot by one of Poe's wingmen. It turns to the sky and fights the air support. The Daira charges at Leah, but she is really fast and manages to land the first hit. Then she unleashes a flurry of rapid punches at the chest of the monster, in her human form, but the Daira grabs her with both hands and throws her five meters back. Then he rushes at her, forcing her to become a big wolf, and deals a right hook. Leah dodges and bites him before slapping him with her paw. 

A Gibdo screams, stunning a werewolf, before punching him twice. Then it tries to choke him with its long arms, but Q manages to shoot it dead with his sniper rifle. Then he shoots two undead Egyptian archers and a mummy, but...

A stray bullet from an Agent manages to accidentally hit him in the chest. He is bleeding, and his cloak wears off. Drawing the attention of some zombies. But the Master Sergeant with the double-barrelled shotgun fires at the zombies and manages to kill all of them, protecting the sniper. "Someone, put Q in his car! He can no longer fight on foot! I will hold these corpses off!"

One of the wingmen loses a wing to a rocket. "Got hit! I need to land! I need to land now!"

"Affirmative, we will cover you!"

Poe, happy that his wingman has a chance to live, makes sure he saves him. He fires his proton torpedoes at the Demian, blowing it to pieces. Then he fires some more and obliterates the hind lines of the undead, making them turn. Living beings would panic at that moment, but zombies can still have their composure.

Leah manages to bite the Daira's arm and then slap him with her front left paw, but gets punched twice in the face and her cheek gets bruised. Then the Daira throws her some feet away and charges at her once more, but she lunges at his throat and kills him with a bite. Even then, it's not over. Q is escorted safely, but the Master Sergeant falls unconscious when a mummy attacks him with its poisonous breath. The mummy gets torched by a rebel. A werewolf falls as he takes on ten undead. As he kills the last one, getting hit many times, he gest a lethal slash to the shoulder and succumbs to his injuries, but takes long enough to see the tide turning in favor of his friends.

After Poe and his wingman bombard the undead soldiers and the second wingman fires his blaster to thin the horde further, Leah charges at the last Gibdo and manages to tear its throat by biting it several times. 

Victory belongs to the Resistance. But it's not so sweet. With about five dead and important members injured, they are already slowed down. The medic uses his equipment to remove the bullet from Q. "Stay calm, stay calm..."

Q is absorbed in his own thoughts. All this time, he focused on not getting hit at all. He could do severe damage to the enemy while not even being in the front lines. And his gadgets indirectly help him by making the lives of his friends easier. 

He never focused on personal defence. He was not surprised when he lost to Cementor. Cementor was a very strong superhuman, even Leah would have trouble with him. But now, a single bullet took him out...

He needs to upgrade his defence a bit. 

Meanwhile, fifteen kilometers to the south, there is another camp. 

"Sir, our scouts failed to beat the rebels. I fear these Agents start becoming ineffective." 

"Great. First we lose valuable units, including a Golden Moblin and a Reaper, and now this. Even the Vampire Infantry and Silver Moblins can't stop them easily.

Very well. I want to see how well they do against heavier units. Especially since nobody of them have lightsabers now..." 

The man who is speaking is an orange minotaur. He is tall and muscular, wears heavy armor and has two green arm blades of hard light, different in appearance from lightsabers, but function almost the same. 

Monsters like him are only common in Hell, and only beneath Limbo. He is a Hell Knight, a true warrior of the Darkness. He sits in a tall chair between two Elite Stygians. These Knights sometimes lead Silver Moblins and Vampire Infantry to battles. 

Such a Knight humiliated and killed Jacob Black.

Now, another fixes his sights on the rebels.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Tell me what scene you liked more! Best fight or moment?
> 
> From my quiz in Dreamwidth, I found out the good guys are more popular. Nice! 
> 
> Opinions about the nightmares? Liked the Emperor's return?


	16. Brawn and Brains

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The Resistance confronts enemy after enemy. 
> 
> The government tries to corrupt Finn.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Trigger warning: A lot of deaths, violence, and a certain vampire lady interacting with Finn. 
> 
> This would also include the chess match, but the chapter is growing really, REALLY big and I just couldn't do this.

"Are you sure we have to do this, Al?" 

"Absolutely sure. Come on, you have kissed him once. This will not bother you at all."

Al Astor urges Armilla. "Come on, it worked with one Jedi! Why don't you try with the other?" 

"And if we fail to get bonded?" 

"Then we are in trouble." 

Finn is in his cell, forced to watch awful movies. The Last Airbender, specifically so it would drop his capabilities of thinking how to escape, and a cartoon where his degradation would disgust even Captain Phasma and imprinted Rey. 

In this episode, Finn Whiplash takes his savage wolf for a walk and makes her eat any puppy he sees for their selfish pleasure. "Ha ha ha! Look how miserable these children are now! I can literally drink their tears!"

The real Finn is not amused. "Meanwhile, I am here because I saved a little girl from being drowned and then tried to stop some burglars. And then a vampire kidnapped me and kept me as a pet.

They really had the nerve to show me raping a vampire girl in the previous episode until Charles of Moria saved her. It also showed me setting her house on fire and escaping. If only that last part was true..."

The door opens, revealing someone.

"Leah? Is it you?" 

"Wrong answer." 

Armilla emerges before him, showing a lot of her hard, pale skin. She is still wearing her underwear and bra, but only these. 

Finn becomes anxious. "What do you want? Put some clothes on!" 

The vampire woman quickly closes the distance between them. "Some alone time with my little pet."

He starts sweating. He can't escape and put thousands of people in danger to save his own skin. "No! Please! I don't want this!"

"You don't want what? I know what you are thinking. Al Astor told me to try that. But I am not that vile. After all, no sane human does that to their pets, am I right?"

She grabs his face and looks him straight into his black eyes. "And you are my pet. Not my slave."

"I don't belong to anyone but myself."

"You seem to belong to people whom you don't even know. If you are so much of your own master, I will let you escape. After all, you are a hero. They are worthless civilians. Statistics. You matter more than them. 

You are not my slave. You are a slave to those people. Who are good only for food. Who today exist and tomorrow don't. 

I know the legends. You kept trying to help people. Even people with more power and less morals than you. Take for example Rey. Was she worth screaming her name? Was she worth of your precious time? You can stand up for yourself, Fleet Killer. You don't need to follow a shallow, power-hungry spawn of the Sith. 

While you crippled an entire fleet of Star Destroyers which could destroy planets, she was busy kissing the man who stood and did nothing while planets were blowing up. Yet, you still felt bad when she died.

I thought you would appreciate me, my little pet. You need someone to care about you."

"Like you? You know kidnapping and violence is not true love, right?" 

"Oh, my bad. I thought it was for Jedi. Guess not. But don't worry. We are just going to see some movies together. That's all."

She puts on an anime, known as Nobunaga-Sensei. "People created this. Let's see if you would defend them still." She gets to his left and leans close to him.

"Hey, that's the sleazebag no. 2 I shot in the nuts!"

"You did the planet a favor."

After Finn and Armilla watch the first episode, Finn actually manages to crack a smile. "I am really happy I shot the fucker." 

Suddenly, he feels chains wrapping around his mind. The chains are from gold, they look beautiful. Armilla also feels the chains and understands what is going to happen. 

And then it doesn't. 

The moment the chains come in contact with his mind, he starts struggling to break free. For a moment, all his memories of his friends are being and the beautiful Vampire Lady is the one thing he thinks about. But Finn manages to focus on his friends again.

In the end, he manages to break the chains.

"I don't know what was that, but good riddance!" 

Armilla's jaw drops. "How... how he resisted it?" she thinks. "This is magic way beyond mine. It worked with warriors stronger than him. I don't understand..." 

Nevertheless, she approaches him and strokes his hair. "You seemed to be very concentrated. Did something happen?" 

"Nothing, Armilla. Do you have mind controlling abilities?" 

"No. My power is teleportation. It must have been one of my friends..." 

Meanwhile, somewhere closer to the north, Finn's friends encounter the next big obstacle. Grave Wardens, who are undead with shovels, and mummies which breathe gas. Poe and his two wingmen also see a nasty surprise this time. Five Crimson Gunships. These ships are very powerful and have rocket launchers. They also take some blasts from X-Wings and still function. 

Leah and her werewolves charge at the ground forces and initially do fairly well, as the Grave Wardens' main advantage is being many. Though the werewolves do get some shovels to their faces. A Grave Warden actually hurls a stone and breaks a werewolf's tooth. Then it goes to split the wolf's head in half, but the Child of the Moon dodges the shovel and bites the undead's leg off. 

The Sun is setting soon. In the enemy warcamp, the enemy is waiting. A Crocolfos speaks with the Hell Knight. "What happens if the enemy gets here before night falls?" 

"It's not happening. Some of our strongest units can still be very strong at day." 

Indeed, after Leah takes out five mummies in a row in her wolf form, she spots a sandcastle.

"Really? A sandcastle? How can this be an obstacle?" 

She tries to jump over it... and a colossal creature made of sand, looking like a tower with arms, emerges from the ground and grabs her. Then it suplexes her. 

It's a mighty Sand Golem... 

Leah struggles to get up, and just as she does, the Sand Golem gives her a very strong right hook and sends her flying backwards, drawing blood.

The she-wolf no longer sees brute force as an option. She needs to fight strategically. She keeps her distance, waiting for the golem to make a move. It does, firing quick balls of sand. Leah manages to dodge many of them, but one strikes her left side... but is relatively weak. 

She gets close to the Golem and dodges the next punch. Then the Sand Golem performs a double slam, but the she-wolf dodges again and finally manages to land a solid bite to it. 

She momentarily makes an expression of disgust and barely dodges the next strike.

On air, Poe uses his proton torpedoes and shoots one of the Gunships down. It becomes flaming debris, and Poe discovers that these vehicles are not manned. 

_Where did they find so advanced technology, comparable to that of his Galaxy?_

One of his wingmen uses his blasters to shoot another Crimson Gunship down and damages another one with the Proton Torpedoes. Then he dives close to the ground and shoots many mummies and Grave Wardens with the blasters, doing severe damage to the enemy forces. 

He sees Leah struggling with the Sand Golem and dives to help her. But a Crimson Gunship fires a rocket and scores a direct hit, blowing the X-Wing and the pilot up! 

Poe has seen many brave men and women losing their lives in combat. Even his friend, Snap. At least Jessika survived. Force, he misses her, and also misses Zorii. He manages to find the strength to stay calm and quickly blows up the ship that fired the rocket.

Leah manages to get behind the Sand Golem and pounces, landing rapid claw swipes, three hits per second. Even this assault, despite doing damage, isn't enough to bring the Golem down.

The Golem launches its strongest attack, aiming both at Leah and Poe. A devastating tornado made of sand. But Leah dashes away, faster than the human eye can see, and Poe puts his ship at full speed and also manages to evade the strike. 

However, a werewolf, surrounded by three Grave Wardens, fails to weave in time and all four get caught. They are launched high, spinning, and the landing kills all of them. 

Enraged, Leah lunges once more at the Golem and lands another flurry of punches and swipes. Poe is busy shooting the penultimate Gunship down, while his remaining wingman finishes off the last one. 

The she-wolf decides to turn into her human form. Since the Sand Golem is so durable, but big and slow, it's the perfect target for a technique she managed to master during her training. 

She dashes fast and starts landing rapid punches, two hits per second, at the large mass of sand. Each fist hurts like a car and she does not stop. "ORA ORA ORA ORA ORA ORA!" 

Poe thinks about not allowing her to watch anime for a week. The giant finally disintegrates and becomes some little grains of sand after the last punch pierces its chest. 

However, night has fallen. And when the rebels get to the actual enemy camp, they are greeted by plenty of Imps, Crocolfos, vampires and Stalfos. 

"It's a trap!" Poe exclaims. "They were just stalling for time!" 

Leah stakes the first vampire and trades punches with the second one. A Stalfos leaps high, his sword raised to slash Leah in the back, but a werewolf also leaps and strikes him in mid-air, pushing him away from his Alpha.

Since Leah is not distracted, she uses her smaller frame to duck a punch and quickly break the vampire's arm before staking him too. 

One of the rebels tries to shoot a Stalfos, but the skeletal warrior blocks with his shield easily and an Imp kills the man with a fireball. A werewolf catches both arms of a Crocolfos a little after the reptilian raised his swords, but the Crocolfos torches him with his fiery breath and then cuts off his head.

Poe and his wingman provide air support and help keep the balance in the fight, blowing up hordes of Imps and undead. Some vampires fly to take them on, but they aren't strong enough for the ships and their technology. Meanwhile, on the ground, a rebel manages to kill an Imp by throwing a dagger at its throat successfully. Three more surround a Stalfos and fill him with lead, while a female werewolf is wrestling with another Stalfos until a rebel shoots the Stalfos in the scull from behind, allowing her to finish him off. Then she saves the rebel from an attacking vampire.

A rebel uses a Molotov Cocktail to save two comrades from a Crocolfos. Leah manages to fight off a Stalfos using her super speed and steel pipe, while Poe blows up two vampires at once with his proton torpedoes. 

However, a Man of Crete, after shooting an Imp dead, gets shot by an arrow and frozen solid. The archer is a Silver Moblin, who prepares another Ice Arrow. He is covered by Gibdos, Sand Grunts and Vampiric Infantry. 

"We need reinforcements!" Poe says. "We need somebody!"

Inside her mansion, Armilla is watching the fight using a television. "Come and get him, boy! Sadly, the one usually taking care of the Big Deadly Silver Moblins is now with me!" She extends a hand and pinches Finn's cheek.

He tries to keep himself happy in this situation. "Did you really have to use this acronym?" 

She drinks a golden cup of blood and turns to him. "It was accidental, my little human. Should we have a bet? If your friends get all killed, you will give me a little dose of your blood." 

"No. This is not a game, vampire. These are my friends, and I don't make bets with their lives. They aren't that expendable!"

"Really? That's... boring. Come on, boy, play with me a little!" She starts stroking his neck. "At least try not to act all self-righteous! Do you like a tug-o-war?" 

"Ok!" 

The two place their right arms on the table and start arm wrestling. Finn has become quite strong... But Armilla is one of the most powerful vampires. It takes a minute until Finn's hand touches the table. 

Armilla cups his face. "Looks like I won, boy! And without having to cheat, too! Though, I will admit, cutie... I struggled more than I expected. Usually, against humans, I win instantly." She immediately starts messing his hair up.

"So, you must really like your vampirism, huh? Do you have any problems? Anything that annoys you?" 

"Not much, to be fair. I managed to get to Vampire Lady status and am not afraid of sunlight, handsome. My only problem is that I have to drink blood to survive. I don't mind much, your kind is tasty..." 

A lick to his cheek later, she continues. "... but you humans can taste so much more than us. You can eat chunks of meat, cheese, fruit, vegetables, candy... 

Right now, I have a really, really big apetite for some hot, dark brown, chocolate..." 

As she leans closer to him, he starts getting very, very worried. 

Back to the battlefield, the rebels are in the doghouse, as a third rebel gets killed by the Silver Moblin's Frost Arrows. A werewolf tries to attack a Vampiric Infantryman, but the bloodsucker stabs his heart with his spear and then drinks his blood. Another werewolf manages to tear the head of a regular vampire, but she is stunned by a Gibdo and then punched by the mummy and three Sand Grunts. 

"We need to fall back!" Leah says. "FALL BACK!" 

She loathes using the Alpha Order, because she is against messing with free will, but she sees they can't win and need help. She and Poe retreat last, holding off the front row of the advancing enemies.

The first Vampiric Infantryman who dies is by Poe's blasters, while Leah destroys a Sand Grunt. But she gets hit by an Infantryman's thrown knife. "They are too many!" 

"Well, let's even the odds." 

Multiple howls are heard as Embry and twenty-five werewolves charge! Then Q emerges with his car, which has the four Women of Crete inside... and behind them, a rented jeep which has the Master Sergeant with the double-barrel shotgun and four men with flamethrowers inside. In the jeep is also Little Finn.

Finally, the Light Tank comes forward and attacks! 

Five Crocolfos charge at the tank, but they are all shot dead. Leah immediately orders a charge, as the rebels can now fight back! 

Embry charges at the Vampiric Infantry and fights one of the guards one-on-one. The Men of Crete with the flamethrowers pull the triggers and set several vampires and Sand Grunts on fire! 

Q launches three Spydor Mines and obliterates three Gibdos, which can stun only organic beings... while BB-8 is watching. So, when one of the Men of Crete shoots a Gibdo and the Gibdo retaliates by freezing him with its scream, BB-8 rolls close and, unaffected, sets the mummy on fire with his torch. A ballistic knife hits the Light Tank, but does no damage. 

The Silver Moblin sees the tank gunning down some Imps and running one over. He draws his bow and aims carefully. The Frost Arrow strikes home. 

"It didn't freeze the tank, boss!" a vampire notices.

"No. But try to punch it now." 

The vampire does so and manages to create a big hole to the vehicle with a single strike! Then he grabs one of the humans inside and drinks his blood. 

Embry manages to dodge a kick and punch the vampire soldier in the face. But he gets stabbed in the stomach. "I will drink your blood and leave you an empty husk!" 

But a woman gets out of the car and cuts herself with a knife. The Vampire Infantryman smells the blood and turns around. He makes a move to drink the warm, red liquid... But Embry uses all his willpower to stand up, lunge from behind and break the undead's neck! 

Another Vampire Infantryman throws a knife at him, but he manages to stop it with a well-placed punch and pounces at the monster, wrestling. The Silver Moblin, unable to get a clear shot, aims for another werewolf who has managed to tear the throat of an Imp. He manages to freeze him, allowing a Crocolfos to hack him to pieces with his swords.

Poe realizes the Moblin is an immediate threat and has to be taken out. He dives close to the Moblin and fires his blasters, but the elite soldier rolls sideways and fires a Frost Arrow, hitting Poe's hull. 

Seeing the X-Wing frozen, five vampires attack Poe, knowing they can break the ship's armor in a single hit now. But his wingman gets between them, destroying the first two and luring the rest. 

Poe attacks again, this time with Proton Torpedoes, while a second arrow strikes his wing. Despite his great durability, the Silver Moblin can't survive the advanced ship's strongest attack! 

But he also has to land, since his ship is extremely vulnerable because of the arrows. BB-8 rushes close to Poe, burning a Gibdo standing between them! 

Poe hugs the little droid. "BB-8! My ship is full of ice! Please melt it!"

"BLEEP!"

As BB-8 starts using his torch to melt the ice, Poe uses his blaster to protect the droid from a Sand Grunt and two Imps.

The rebels seem to start getting the upper hand now. But the final wave appears. Rock Titans advance slowly but steadily, the Earth shaking beneath them. From the tents, about a hundred Stygians emerge. Some more Crocolfos join the fight too. 

"Ok, we've got this." Leah thinks, having saved the crew of the Light Tank. Q arrives with his car to repair the valuable vehicle, using his ram to run over a vampire getting in the way. 

Then the three leaders join the fight. The Hell Knight makes a scary roar, while the two Elite Stygians emerge behind him. All three advance.

Leah, putting her men first, dashes towards them in her wolf form. But the Hell Knight hits her with a green fireball. Then he nods at the two Elite Stygians to finish her off. 

Brute strength, again, is no option, Leah has to be more defensive. She shifts back into a human and uses her steel pipe to fight back against the two. Her speed, supernatural even for a werewolf, is the only thing that lets her pipe defend her against the four curved swords that come at her. Her defense is very hard to penetrate... but it is only defense! 

The Hell Knight, trusting his two best men to kill her, charges at the battlefield like a truck at full speed and with a single shoulderbash sends a man flying, knocking him unconscious. One of the armed women, his girlfriend, gets out of the car and draws her pistol, managing to hit him with three bullets. But the Knight hurls a fireball at her. She dodges and shoots once more, barely missing. But the next fireball burns her. 

Two werewolves lunge at the Knight, who uses his green laser blades to slash at them. He manages to cut one in half, but the other bites his knee and ankle about four times. The demon kicks him off and knocks him down. Then he stomps very hard on his head. 

Poe's wingman manages to shoot him with his blasters, but the monster survives and takes out one of the blasters with a fireball. Meanwhile, Q spends his Spydor Mines against the Rock Titans, and so does the gunner of the Light Tank. 

Poe manages to shoot dead a Stalfos, carefully avoiding his attacks and shooting at his back. BB-8 finally manages to melt the ice and Poe starts trying to fly again. 

Embry manages to also kill the second Vampire Infantryman with a bite, but he got severely injured. He collapses, losing consciousness, a minute after, having also destroyed a Stalfos from behind. A Sand Grunt almost finishes him off...

But Q, invisible, shoots the Grunt in the head with his sniper rifle. Then he aims for a Gibdo and easily takes it out in one headshot. Sadly for him, his bullets still aren't good against the vampires. 

Four rounds have passed between Leah and the Stygians. They consist of Leah only blocking because she is forced to, and nobody lands a single hit. The she-wolf surprises one of the Stygians by attacking, but he manages to block with one of his swords and the second Stygian finds an opening! 

A jab at Leah's back makes her wince in pain, while the second Stygian slashes her belly with his own sword. Then he kicks her hard in the stomach. 

The Native American turns into her wolf form and runs from the two demons. Then she changes back into a human. She needs the space to fight these two. And they are coming fast!

She uses her left hand to throw some sand in their faces. Then she jumps and lands a flying kick at one of them, knocking him down. Then she performs a vertical strike at the second demon, but he blocks the hit easily with his blades and counters. She parries the strike and jumps backwards, seeing the second Stygian getting up. 

But she learns the hard way she shouldn't be too far away, since she has no ranged weapons or abilities... while they do have such an ability.

They slash the ground and send forth one wave of black ooze each, but Leah manages to dodge them. She tries to rapidly close the distance, dodging most waves, but one hits her. Then the other Stygian leaps and almost slashes her with his twin blades. 

Meanwhile, Poe finally flies and starts firing at Rock Titans. He blows three of them up, but one lifts a boulder and sends it at him. Poe dodges with a Barrel Roll. The Master Sergeant uses his shotgun to defeat many regular Stygians and Imps, while Q with his sniper rifle also manages to shoot some Stygians dead. The flamethrower squad manage to burn a Vampire Infantryman to ash, along with several lesser vampires. But they lose one of them to the vampires.

A werewolf manages to rip the arm of a vampire and beat him up with it. But a Stygian stabs him in the back, knocking him unconscious. The nearly dead vampire managed to re-attach his arm and starts healing. But the Light Tank fills both monsters with lead. Q manages to snipe one more Gibdo, but gets hit by a fireball, since an Imp figured out where the bullets come from. But it struck Q to the chest, where he had a new vest in case he got hit by a stray bullet again. The vest gets some damage, but Q keeps fighting and kills his attacker with a headshot.

The Master Sergeant shoots a Stygian dead and approaches the Hell Knight. He avoids the first fireballs and manages to shoot the monster's nose. The Hell Knight charges, but the human barely dodges and shoots him in point-blank range, drawing blood. The elite demon stabs him in the gut, but gets shot again. Out of bullets, and with no time to reload, the man strikes the Hell Knight's face with the butt of his gun. 

The brute swings his laser blades and cuts off the enemy's head! Then he roars in triumph!

Leah's back is against the wall. Some wounds have been healed, but some still remain, and she has landed only a few hits. She takes her wolf form and lunges at one of them. She manages to bite his throat, but the armor saves his life and he throws her down. Then he goes for the head with his swords and cuts part of her tail, making her wince in pain. The other Elite Stygian stabs her in the back. 

Leah has only one choice. She digs a tunnel, seemingly to escape. She keeps digging, right under them... and makes the sandy ground collapse under their feet! Then she takes her human form and lands rapid jabs with her bare hands at one of the Elite Stygians before finally staking him in the heart. The stab proves to be fatal only when combined with the previous injuries.

The other Stygian manages to hit her with his wave of black ooze. Then he stabs her with both blades. And she drops down, dead. 

The Stygian sees if she is breathing. She doesn't. 

"Hmmm... she is deceased." 

Three seconds after the Elite Stygian turns his back, a certain steel pipe stikes the back of his head. And Leah keeps hitting him with the pipe... until the Stygian turns, parries the next blow and gives her a headbutt with his goat horns. Leah uses a hand to rip a horn off the lesser demon and knees him between his legs before finishing him off with a roundhouse kick to the face.

"Ok. Now I know why they are called Elite Stygians." 

Struggling to move, she finds the strength to advance towards the Hell Knight. She sneaks behind him and brings her steel pipe right at his head. The Hell Knight winces in pain a bit, turns and retaliates with a strike from his right laser blade. The blade cuts the steel pipe in half.

Leah responds with multiple quick kicks in the monster's armored stomach. He barely flinches and with one punch knocks her down. Leah struggles to get up, her face is full of blood and bruises. She tries a sweep kick, but fails to knock the demon down and he catches her leg. Then he starts spinning her before slamming her hard to the ground. 

Armilla and Finn are watching this. The latter looks away. "Please, Leah, don't die!"

"I will agree with you, handsome. I don't want her to die here either. I actually want to kill the slayer of my kind myself... but I won't stop my Knight for doing this. Well," she shrugs her shoulders "if it works, why should I fix it? Anyway, she dies. Our kind is avenged." 

"Tell me... you kidnapped me to spite her?" 

"I had many reasons to nab you, boy. One of them was to rob her of her pet, who made this genocidal murderer happy. And another was to bait your friends into rushing to save you. Look, they didn't wait to strike with their full force and have lost about half their entire army to save you!" 

She wraps her arms around him and starts squeezing him in her embrace. "And, of course, you being cute is another of the reasons." 

Back to the fight, Poe Dameron uses his proton torpedoes to attack the Hell Knight. The demon blows up one of them with a fireball and gets hit by the second one. His armor is blown up, but he still survives. Q with his sniper rifle manages to shoot his exposed flesh, and, invisible, rolls away from a green fireball that comes at his initial position. 

But he sees a Rock Titan beating up a Child of the Moon. He draws his Drill Blaster and with two hits blows the stone giant up. The Drill Blaster is also hot and powerful enough to kill a vampire at close range. After it does, a regular Stygian is next. Q gets to his car and fires some more Spydor Mines at the incoming Rock Titans. 

Leah and the Hell Knight are both very heavily injured. The Knight charges, but she dodges, lunges at his throat and bites a chunk of it off!

The Hell Knight roars in pain as Leah lands multiple hits at him. He goes on the offensive with his blades, but she runs circles around the demon, making him dizzy, before giving him the final blow with her sharp teeth! 

Meanwhile, Little Finn does this trick to three Rock Titans, making them focus on him and dodging every attack. They are easy targets for Poe's blasters. He does the same to a Crocolfos, allowing Q to shoot him through the head.

Victory came at a great cost. Half of the rebels died in the fight, including the Master Sergeant. Poe realized that the demons aren't easier than the First Order in this very fight. While the enemies in Greece were tough, but not as threatening as the Order, this was something else. 

However, he refuses to give up. The Final Order was still worse than anything he has ever faced. Yet, Poe led his men to victory and didn't back down even after Emperor Palpatine, with the power of all the Sith, electrocuted the entire fleet. Experience allowed him to endure worse. 

He orders his troops to take a break. "We won. I believe you need and deserve a rest. You earned it." 

After ten minutes of silence, they all get to relax. 

A hour later, Armilla is fully dressed and bows down to a hologram of Al Astor. "My lord, the bond didn't happen!"

"Impossible! Nobody can resist a mating bond. Call it imprint, call it dyad, it binds souls together. How didn't you two get bonded?" 

"I have no idea! We were playing for a long time!"

"Did you force yourself on him?" 

"Never! Listen, Al, I might toy with him and really enjoy it, but I am not Lilith."

Al makes a sigh of frustrstion. "You are growing soft, Armilla. You are one of my best assassins, and will ask permission from a lesser being for something?" 

"Listen, I am still the killer you know. In fact, I am going to prove to you how much I am still one of your best servants. Soon."

"What? Will you turn on me?" 

"No. After all, I really want Leah dead. For what she did to your troops. For the attempt at your life. For what she did to my kind. Stealing her pet was partially a way of revenge." 

"Partially? Any other reasons? Don't hide secrets from your master."

"He was really valuable. They have lost many troops just to save him. I am planning to kill them all. And if I fail, the Hammer will finish them off." 

"Is that all?" 

Armilla's expression changes. "Yes. That is all."

"Good."

Al closes the hologram.

The next day, Poe, Q and Leah go to a bar. There is loud music, as well as many tables which are full. The barista is a bald, black man with a mustache. 

"Hello, strangers! Welcome to my bar. Would you like to order something?" 

"Some wine would be good."

"No, Leah. Better get orange juice." Q whispers. "Imagine Agents catching us drunk. We are all fucked."

They all order orange juice. "How much does it cost?" 

"It will be thirty Silver coins. Each."

"That's robbery!" 

"It's business."

"Normal price is ten Silvers." Q explains. 

Leah decides to ask something.

"Have you heard about a mansion set on fire?" 

"Yes. I watch Boar News."

"Do you know exactly where it is?" 

"No."

"Well, neither do we." 

Then, a white man in the corner, dressed in a tuxedo, with black hair and a fedora, shouts at the three. "Hey, all of you! I have something that can interest you!"

"What is it?" Poe asks. 

"I will pay for your orange juices. All three. You see, I am really rich. And I also know the location of this mansion you are asking about. But you have to earn all of these. 

You know, I love playing board games. Especially chess. And nothing entertains me more than playing with others. It makes my life so much happier. 

My name is Victor Checkmate. And I have beaten players in tournaments. War isn't exactly like chess. But the latter helps you make strategies for the former, to react to the enemy's actions. Chess is an art. 

I am feeling generous. I will pay for you if you even accept playing chess with me. If you win, I will also tell you everything about the mansion."

All three turn to each other. "He is a spy." Q whispers.

"Certainly." Poe whispers back.

"I agree" Leah tells them. "However, he also offers us a lot. If we win, and he is not lying, we might save Finn without wasting time and risking the lives of our warriors." 

"Plus, we need these bucks to pass up as ordinary people and not have more enemies coming at us." 

"Plus, Poe, you are experienced. You can beat him."

Poe steps forward. "Ok, Victim."

"It's Victor." 

"We will play chess with you." 

Checkmate looks them in the eyes. 

Checkmate's POV

These three are certainly smart, but not smart enough to hide it. They are very suspicious of me right now. Trying to find the catch in my generosity. 

I was being honest. I am going to pay for them. Even when I show them that I keep my word, they will still suspect something, but at least they will take my offers. I know where the mansion is. I will tell them the truth if they beat me. But nobody beat me, I got stalemated at worst. Only once. And I won the rematch easily because I can adapt.

Oh well, I am not afraid of losing. And beating all of them will make me even richer. I do know two of them. Poe and Leah. They must be. But who is the third guy?

Third person POV

Poe wants to take the challenge first. He is the best in chess from the three. But Q interferes. "I am the most book smart. I will play first."

"But..."

"Poe, listen." He whispers something to Poe's ear.

"Yeah, makes sense."

Q sits in the opposite side of the chess player. 

"Wait a second." Victor says. And he pays for all three of them. 

"I am a man of his word. Let's begin."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Stormwolf or Stormilla? Or just Finnrey? What would you like the most? 
> 
> The one thing missing from this chapter is Rey. Otherwise, it has everything you would want. (There is also the chess match that opens the next chapter, but it shows the beginning and Checkmate is introduced!)
> 
> Yes, I am inspired here by the D'Arbys. One was a gambler, the other a gamer. To avoid plagiarizing, I made a chess player. Hopefully I can execute it well!
> 
> I see Armilla is liked by people! Happy to hear that... you will see her in a fight again soon!
> 
> Opinions about the Hell Knight and the other elite forces? Are you pumped for the chess match? Favorite moment in general here?


	17. Black and White

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> In a battle where brawn is useless, Q, Poe and Leah have to use their heads to find where their friend is held. 
> 
> Rey confronts her first serious challenge.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I do know and like chess, but I am not a master. I hope you still appreciate the effort to make it good. 
> 
> There is something more that what is in the description, but it's so much of a spoiler I won't tell what.
> 
> Also, it's partially dedicated to JediBatman because Q gets the spotlight. Poe does so too.

"Ok, you have the whites... what's your name, my worthy opponent?" 

"Q. Just Q."

"Go first." Checkmate tells Q with a smile. 

Q opens by moving the pawn right in front of the king itself. Checkmate, grinning, does the same. 

Q moves his bishop, which is on the white squares, in a straight diagonal line with the black king. In response, Victor moves a pawn in a place where he can take the bishop out.

"Nice try, Q. But I am not so easy to fall for this trick. Only novices fall for it." 

Checkmate uses pawns to force the bishop to back off and then follows a defensive tactic. He uses his Knights to advance and manages to capture an enemy pawn. 

Soon, after some rounds, Q's king is exposed to the queen. "Check, Q. Seems like you will not learn the place of the mansion." 

Q starts sweating, while Poe observes. "Hmmm..." he thinks "Interesting tactic, Victor. Q's idea was brilliant... we are certainly going to find out about the mansion."

Q blocks with his bishop. He is helpless before the queen, much to Leah's anxiety. But Victor does not attack the bishop. He knows losing a queen to the king is a bad idea. The last time he did this trick, the opponent sacrificed their queen. Victor also had a bishop ready, saving his queen and eliminating the opponent's. 

Now, however, he knows offence will cost him much, and he can't afford to risk it. He moves a bishop too. 

"I love your adaptability, Redplate!"

"Checkmate. It's Checkmate."

"Not until you actually do a checkmate."

"Oh, you will get your checkmate, Q. And after you lose, there are two more contestants in the queue to try their luck too."

"Was the pun intentional?" 

"I will not tell you." This will piss Q enough, he thinks. It will distract his mind. 

Q still has his cool, and puts his queen in front of the enemy king. "Check!"

"Nice. But there are some more advanced techniques than those you think." And he performs castling. "Unlike the Knight, the rook does not need much skill to be a serious threat."

"Can I ask you a question?" 

"You already did."

"Ok. Can I ask two more?" 

"You asked them too."

"When?" 

"Now."

"Bastard."

"Hey, language. It's a healthy sport, after all! Sports make friendships."

Q changes tactic and immediately asks his question.

"Can we get advice from the other team members?" 

"No. It's cheating." Victor chuckles. He already faces a challenging opponent who can adapt to his tricks. A good warm-up for the mighty Poe Dameron. He knows it's Poe Dameron. 

But, distracted by all this conversation, Q forgets his next move. He becomes a little too aggressive in his next moves, ending up beating the Rook defending Victor's King with his own Queen... "Check!"

"Not gonna lie, this move would give me trouble in other conditions... like not having your Queen right next to my King, where she is vulnerable... hard to capture a Queen with a King, but glorious when it happens." 

With his Queen gone, Q has to retreat to defense. Some rounds later, Victor's Queen goes for an attack, but Q uses a Knight and a Bishop to set a trap. He puts the Bishop at a diagonal line with the Queen, while the Knight can move at the Bishop's place should the Queen capture it. 

But Checkmate simply makes the Queen retreat and Q advances another pawn. Victor does the same.

Meanwhile, in Germany, the Scavenger Army keeps advancing, when they are ambushed by some Agents. They are easily taken out by the staves and blasters. However, the next ambush isn't so easy... 

It's undead again. But this time, they all have assault rifles, body armor and helmets with swastikas on them. Unlike the stereotypical zombies, they have only one arm extended sometimes. 

What Rey and her forces didn't know is that these enemies were more mindless and murderous while they were still alive. So, she feels pity. 

"They seemed to be a glorious army until they became... this. I am pretty sure they were innocent victims before they became undead. Killing them is mercy on their souls."

She orders her squad to fire at will, and charges forward with her double yellow lightsaber. She leaps high into the air and stabs a zombie through its helmet and scull, bringing it down. Then she dodges a gun butt bash and stabs another zombie in the stomach. 

Then with the Force she sends ten undead German soldiers flying backwards. Meanwhile, a Scavenger drops dead by bullets of an assault rifle. Another one jumps on a grenade and protects everyone else, but gets blown up. 

Suddenly, a Heavy Tank appears. From it, a zombie in officer uniform, with a hat that has a swastika on it, gives orders. It's known as a Zomberial Officer, and was once an officer of the Terran Empire. 

"My Übermenschen! Your knives are made with blood and honor! Destroy these intruders! Please the Führer!"

Rey uses the Force to pluck him out of the tank and cut him in half with her lightsaber. "I don't know who this Führer is, but he sounds like he needs a beating!"

She thought that by eliminating the Emperor, she was done fighting Imperials and Empire sympathizers. Turns out, they are here too... is maybe their boss Emperor Palpatine? _No, it can't be, he needs me alive,_ Rey thinks.

Back to Egypt, Q is trapped. Victor makes a check with the Queen, and then uses a Rook to support it. Slowly, he forces Q to the edge of the chessboard... until Q no longer can escape. 

"Checkmate." 

As Q bows down his head, suddenly he is dragged somewhere. One moment, he is playing against a grandmaster of chess, and the next he finds himself inside a doll. And he is fully aware of it.

"Ha ha ha! I am Checkmate, Master of Chess. I am a honest man. I did say that I will pay for you if you play, and I did say that if you win, I will reveal the location of the mansion. This still stands, and if I lose now, I release your friend. But I didn't say I was no spy, and did NOT say what happens if you lose to me. You will all make good dolls. Especially Wolfgirl."

"Wolfgirl" is about to punch him through his scull, but Checkmate stops her. "If you kill me, I can no longer release all souls I have captured. But if you beat me in chess, all will be released."

Leah remembers the anime she was watching. She is sure that there was someone like Checkmate, just not a chess player. She notes to herself to finish the anime before advancing to Armilla's mansion... if they win.

Poe, however, is calm. He knows that if he wins, Q and more innocents will be saved. And Q's sacrifice wasn't in vain. Now, Poe knew how Checkmate played, and Q tired him enough by stalling him and forcing him to reveal many of his tricks. 

"Ok, Vicky Deadweight, I play first. I already led a Black Squadron in reality, don't want to get attached to simple pieces."

"Two can play at this game... Poo Dameron."

Poe's POV

Damn. He doesn't just know it's me. He tries to beat me at my own game of wits. Though Q definetely was a challenge for him, Checkmate still has some energy left to play chess. Either he can clear his mind for a long time, or he is bluffing. 

Very well. Napoleonic won't work on him, so I will use something else. 

Checkmate is tired, but he still can play.

Third person POV

Poe and Checkmate move their pieces in front of King and Queen respectively. Poe moves his Bishop and Checkmate protects his pawn with another pawn. 

Poe puts a Knight to the perfect place to attack this pawn. Victor smiles and moves one of his bishops aiming for the enemy Queen, blocked only by the Knight. 

Poe moves a Knight right behind his Bishop. 

Checkmate seems puzzled and randomly moves a pawn.

"Good" Poe thinks. "There is a chance for him to be fucked." 

And Poe moves his Knight to beat the first pawn, leaving his Queen exposed to the black Bishop. 

Checkmate moves his other pawn and captures the Knight. "I was playing the fool all this time, Dameron. Legal mate is actually pretty sneaky." 

Poe is about to move his Queen and cost Victor a Bishop... but the chessmaster has moved the right pawn, protecting the Bishop. But he covers his queen with a pawn, threatening the Bishop.

If Checkmate wasn't playing right after a hard victory, he would not want to rush and instead make his bishop back off. But he makes his first mistake, since Poe seems to be just as skilled. And there is also Leah... he doesn't want to be too tired to face a third opponent.

Not while the first two are like this. 

He becomes aggressive. He attacks the pawn with his Bishop, threatening the Queen... but the Queen is safe and attacks, taking the Bishop!

Poe's POV 

It's working. He starts getting tired. Q was right. I had to play second. He does not have all the energy nor all the time to deal with me and I am the best player in the team. Now, I still need to be careful. 

I will use the Queen to check the rooks. If the enemy rook gets on my side, I am in danger. I should confront use it to take one out and then start dwindling the elite enemy units. 

Good job, Q. You will be avenged. 

Third Person POV 

Some rounds later, Poe's Queen reaches the opposite side and captures the enemy rook. Checkmate uses the remaining rook for castling... so Poe captures the Knight. 

But Victor has already moved his Queen forward and knows the enemy queen is too far away to stop this piece. And he makes a check. So, Poe moves his king to the left. The Bishop of his will aim at the Queen if the Queen moves horizontally... so the chessmaster uses it diagonally. 

"Good move, Vicky."

"The same insult twice shows you are out of ideas, Damselron. Yes, psychology can determine a clear mind, General. But it is no longer working. Try something else!"

Poe realizes mockery alone won't distract this enemy, like it did with Armitage Hux. He has to think of something different.

Meawnhile, in Germany, Rey uses the Force and flips the Heavy Tank upside down. She didn't stop training after Palpatine, and her powers have been amplified a lot. Though, with Kylo's death, she lost a big part of her Dark powers, those which made the Corruption have control over some of her actions, but also made her more effective in combat, handing her power she wouldn't get so quickly. 

However, with her training with Luke's Force Ghost, she managed to catch up easily. Now she fights like an enraged and ferocious Rancor, slicing two Nazi zombies with every attack of her saber. One is too far away and fires at her with his sniper rifle. 

She uses the Force to sense and avoid the bullets, draws her blaster and shoots him twice. Then she senses another undead about to stab her in the back with a combat knife, turns and cuts off its head. 

Meanwhile, a Zomberial Officer shoots a scavenger in the head and kills her, but her brother starts strangling the undead. When the officer goes for a bite, the scavenger knees him in the back and then decapitates him with a knife. 

Victory seems near... but then come the bombers. 

"Quickly! Run to the ships!" Rey commands. "We need to take this to the skies if we don't want to lose a lot of people!"

"Yes, General Rey..."

"Skywalker." 

As Rey runs from the bombers, she remembers when she was dragged into the fight, chased by TIE Fighters. She yelled to Finn to stop taking her hand. If he did, she could be blasted inside that tent... 

He did not listen. He did his best to keep her safe. And how she rewarded him, again? 

And then she was still herself, on Jakku. Then, she didn't trust anyone, she felt she didn't need anyone. Afterwards, she learned to trust only the worst of people with everything. 

Washing her mouth with mud after Exegol was the moment she truly was free.

"Change of plans, soldiers. You run in the ships. I stay behind and hold them off!" 

"You are our leader! What happens if you die? This is dangerous!"

"I survived doing way dumber things than this."

As they run away, Rey concentrates, uses the Force and the first plane meets the ground. She sees everyone has left and concentrates again. She pretends the next bomber has Kylo Ren, the man who treated her so badly, while she was forced to be with him because of the Force. This helps her gather and focus enough anger to cast Force Lightning and blow the plane up. 

But the third bomber unleashes its lethal load on the woman. She uses the Force to deflect all the explosives. She successfully deflects them, but fails badly to reflect even a single one. 

She leaps very high and throws her lightsaber like a boomerang, cutting a wing off and bringing the plane crashing into her... she dodges by quickly rolling sideways and avoids the explosion. 

However, she is cornered! More bombers come at her and she already used all her best tricks...

But her distraction worked! The scavengers have boarded their ships and attack the bombers with the blasters!

The Nazis find their bombers in mortal peril and send the fighter planes to defend them. Machine guns confront the blasters, and the Falcon, piloted by some scavengers, lands so Rey can board it.

Meanwhile, Poe and Checkmate are still playing chess. They have lost most of their units. Checkmate is on the defensive. 

Poe tries something else. "You are doing very well, Checkmate. You make me proud." 

This throws Checkmate, who could shrug off any mockery, off balance. He is getting tired because he spent a lot of time thinking how to fight both Q and Poe himself. And he starts overlooking vital points!

Several rounds pass. Victor's King is in one side, in the second one is Poe's Queen and in the third one Poe's rook. They are the only remaining pieces, apart from Poe's King. Checkmate starts panicking. Panting. Sweating.

Checkmate's POV

Impossible! How did I lose? I am the most skilled chess player in the world. Oh yes. Psychology. Bastard softened me up and read my moves by allowing an ally to play for him... Then he started mocking my name to throw me off-balance... while I was starting to get tired, I had to be aggressive because there was one more opponent waiting... then he made an 180 in personality and confused me further... and of course he had his own skills to help him... 

It's not over yet! He will only checkmate me in his next move. I can still avoid defeat!

Poe's POV

He knows what's coming. He knows. He just silently offered me his hand. Is it an actual surrender? I am tempted to get his hand. Get this over with. It will save Q and many innocents, and help us save Finn earlier.

Oh, wait. Finn. I remeber the days we played chess together. Holochess, mostly. Usually, I was winning, but not always. He was learning new techniques. He even managed to beat me sometimes. 

I remember the cheapest thing he ever did. Once, he offered his hand silently, while I was about to checkmate him. I thought it was a surrender. It could be, but it could also be an offer for a draw. I found this out the hard way. He forced me into a draw, and I had no idea. To see if it's legal, I looked it up. It was, but was considered dishonorable. I also saw how it can be outsmarted. 

With words. 

"Not yet! I will take your hand only if you tell me you surrender!" 

Checkmate sighs. "I... I su... I surrender!" 

And the moment he does, all the souls he trapped in dolls are released, and they materialize with their bodies right here, enjoying their glorious, glorious freedom. Q is no exception. 

I smiled. I owe part of my victory to him. Q, you truly are worthy of being a fan of mine. 

Third Person POV 

Victor Checkmate is defeated. He, however, smiles. "You won. You actually managed to outsmart me. You deserve to learn where the mansion is." 

And he tells them the exact place the location is in detail. 

"To be fair, I don't care for Armilla or her friends. I just care about playing chess with others. I enjoyed my time with you. May you succeed at rescuing your friend... I heard the Vampire Lady is quite fond of him."

Speaking of the Vampire Lady, she has taken Finn's lightsaber in her hands and plays with it in front of him. However, she is careful not to ignite it. 

"Your weapon feels good in my hands, my little human. This is the weapon that scarred my leg for good, isn't it? Immortality means I will carry the wound for centuries. Sadly, I don't know how to use it, only how it's ignited. If only I had the Force and practice, I could be skilled with it. Then, I would be the best vampire in the world. 

Though I am already one. I manage to capture the man who killed Bella and three Silver Moblins at once. After I kill Leah, I will be worthy of being the Contessa."

After gently nudging him with her foot, she keeps stroking the lightsaber. 

Finn is watching her. "You felt this lightsaber once. How was it."

"Indeed, I did feel your saber... it was really hot!"

Finn starts already feeling uncomfortable from the conversation.

Meanwhile, in Germany, the Falcon dodges a barrage of bullets and blasts a fighter, while the last bomber falls. A Scavenger ship is destroyed by a fighter, but Rey aims carefully and shoots at the plane at the right time! It becomes a pile of flaming debris.

"WHOO!" 

Soon, the dogfight is over in Rey's favor. The Scavenger gives the next orders. "Well done, team. Once again, you proved yourselves worthy. You showed them that you are not nobodies. That you all matter."

"General!"

"What is it?"

"I learned what these soldiers were in life. These weren't innocent people. They murdered people for skin color, or a different religion. They treated everyone by themselves as disposable. They were just like the First Order, only with more prejudices!"

"Monsters. All of them. We will stay in this place for a bit. We will destroy this army completely. Then, we keep going south, but only after we destroyed every single trance of this army."

"What are you looking for in the south?" 

"My real family." 

Rey thinks of Poe, the competent, handsome General, and Finn... she knows she hurt him, but she really wants to reconcile. 

She remembered her promise to him while he was in a coma for her skin. And how she then pushed him away from someone who hurt both of them and his own family.

But she is still the savior of the Galaxy, still the Chosen One, and believes she is still worthy of him.

"We will see each other again. I believe that."

A day passes, and the rebels see the rest of the anime.

Except Q, who is upgrading his sniper rifle and repairing the X-Wings with the other technicians.

Leah sees a gambler and a gamer simliar to the chessmaster. She realizes the anime is more relevant than she thought. She is watching the final battle. 

"To be victorious and rule! That's all!" 

The villain blinds the hero with his own blood and goes for a kick with his weak left leg. The hero punches said leg and blows the villain up somehow! 

The villain screams his name loudly as he dies. 

"There is one reason you lost. One simple reason.

You really pissed me off."

Leah chuckles. "Who knew a leg can be a weak point of a supernatural creature!" 

Then, the entire force that has advanced so far, with the information they got from Victor Checkmate, manage to pinpoint Armilla's mansion and march there. 

Leah uses telepathy to ask Greyfur about Toni's condition. 

"He is getting better, Leah. Don't worry, we will come to help you at your direst time. Just wait a couple of days at most."

The team gets close to Cairo, surprisingly not finding more obstacles. And, in the end, they find a mansion... which is very big and luxurious. And around it, there is... grass. A lot of plant life, and even big lakes and pools. 

This place is so alluring, it would resemble Heaven. Everyone makes a sigh of relief. They see water. Clear water. Their supplies had started dwindling, the desert is not the best place for people to satisfy their thirst and they have been travelling and _fighting_ for days. 

Poe, Q and many rebels go drink the water. But Embry senses something wrong. "This... this is too good to be true. And I sense something... these plants do not smell. And it's all sudden..." 

He smells something. An innocent frog suddenly jumps close to the heroes drinking water, between them. 

Leah senses a problem too. "Embry! The frog! It's smelling gunpowder!"

Embry jumps and grabs the frog. 

An explosion is heard and the werewolf is knocked unconscious! 

"Embry!" She touches his chest. "He is in a coma. He fell defending us. Damn." 

Meanwhile, nobody of the rebels had satisfied their thirst after drinking the water. They wanted to drink more and more. When they see Embry's broken body, Poe and the others realize what is happening. Q turns invisible and uses the thermal he put in his sniper rifle.

He spots a man and blows his head off. 

"Damned illusionists. If not for the thermal, I would never be able to kill this fucker." 

As the man's body falls to the ground, the mansion and the grass, and the water too, vanish. 

In the real mansion, Armilla is training the Vampiric Infantry. She throws multiple knives at rapid speed and they catch the knives with their bare hands. 

"Very good job, everyone! This was a test of both speed and patience, rewarding good timing! Now, the spearmen and the swordsmen can start sparring as the knife throwers and I do some target practice."

The knife throwers all manage to hit their targets. The Vampire Lady herself manages to throw three knives and hit three bullseyes at once. 

However, a Moblin comes to her training room. "My lady, we are in big trouble. B-I-G trouble."

"Oh, the rebels are approaching us? To save their little friend? How touching of them." She touches the Moblin's face. 

"I don't want more prisoners. Kill them all."

She really wishes to kill Leah personally, but won't tell her minions to step aside. After all, softening the target up with tough pawns worked with Finn, and Leah won't be any different. 

The rebels are now outside of the mansion. 

"Do we knock before we enter?" 

"Screw it, we don't want them to know we are coming."

Leah punches the door open and enters the mansion first. As the rebels enter, getting out of the vehicles, Sand Golems appear behind them. Poe, the flamethrower soldiers and BB-8 see them. "Of course it's a trap! We will stop these golems. You continue!" 

Leah is holding Little Finn in her hands. "Stay with me, my little mouse. I will not let you go until we reach the primary target. Then you find how to get my best friend out of here, while I kick the vampire bitch's ass."

As they are advancing, they see a blonde woman dancing in a pole, wearing a battle armor that would only be usable in anime and fantasy videogames. It does protect from attacks at some parts, but is quite light, allowing more agility. 

Between her and the rebels are some stairs. The heroes can only see her shilouette, the shiny armored parts, her blonde hair and her eyes. Her red eyes. 

She gestures seductively to the rebels to come to her.

Some actually step forward. 

But Leah stops them. "No. She is a vampire. Ok, listen here, woman, we are looking for an Armilla. She is supposedly one of the strongest vampires." 

The woman takes a pose and blows a taunting kiss to the rebel men. "Tell me, boys... did you like the show?" 

One of the men can't stop looking at her, grinning like an idiot. 

"Correct answer, boys. Now" she turns to Leah, not afraid in the slightest, "what are you looking for?" 

"Is your mistress, Armilla, here?" 

"Right here. She is very close by. It's a shame that I have to show so much of my skin... but it helped me survive more than once."

Leah is cracking her knuckles. "I heard you are above nonsense. Then why are you giving us poses instead of outright attacking us?" 

"Because I am a bit... playful." 

As she says that, sentient puppets surround the rebels. And they have scimitars. Leah manages to punch through a puppet and goes for Armilla, but she teleports away.

She thinks about leaving the others to fight the puppets and save Finn immediately. But then she reminds herself of Jacob, who was going to leave his whole pack to save the baby he wanted to marry. 

And he was the Alpha then. He would leave his family to die because of an obsession. If she does the same, she will not be better than him. She has not imprinted. She can make a choice. And she can help her pack.

She sees a puppet grab a werewolf from the neck, while another one prepares to gut him. She charges at the second puppet in her human form and gives it a flurry of kicks, breaking it, and then she goes behind the other puppet and with a karate chop she snaps its neck. Then she uses her stake for quick jabs at a third puppet. 

Q uses his Drill Blaster to pierce the marionettes with its beams. He manages to destroy each one in a single shot. One of the women uses her pistol and manages to empty a round on a puppet. She is reloading and the marionette reaches her... she shoots it in point blank range as it raises its blade and destroys it, but the blade still nicks her shoulder. 

Outside, Poe leads the squad against the Sand Golems. So far, they manage to bring three of them down, but a flamethrower soldier dies by a Sand Golem's devastating punch. 

Poe uses his proton torpedoes and blasters to destroy another Golem. As it gets destroyed, Poe fires at the mansion to expose part of it to the rays of the Sun. Some very low-level vampires that fail to get away immediately turn to ash. 

But some Moblins push an anti-air turret forward to fight back! They fire at Poe, forcing him to have to dodge the green blaster bolts coming at him. 

Inside the mansion, Q uses his last and strongest mod. He sends a single homing missile at three puppets, blowing them up, but gets slashed from behind by another one. 

As he thanks God for having some armor, he is saved when a werewolf starts mauling the puppet. After the last marionette is defeated, one of the women approaches a chest that is on the floor and opens it. The chest reveals sharp teeth and eats her alive. Meanwhile, a werewolf is about to pick a sword which is big, blue and has a single, big eye, but the sword impales him and sucks his soul. 

"Both a Mimic AND a Sword Phantom? These things are some of the sneakiest monsters in the Universe!" 

Leah turns into her wolf form and gets in front of the mimic. Both creatures bare their teeth. The Mimic's teeth is sharper than the she-wolf's. 

Q and the other gunmen fire at the Sword Phantom, keeping their distance. "There are no bodies with these swords. These are sentient, malicious swords that devour souls! Break the sword!" 

But the Sword Phantom is durable, taking multiple hits from pistols, shotguns and even the mighty Drill Blaster, though the last one hits it only three times. 

Leah's teeth manage to penetrate the mimic's wood and metal, but not much. Leah keeps hitting it with fast claw swipes, but she has to dodge, because the monster has an enormous mouth and big teeth, able to chomp even the she-wolf in half.

The Sword Phantom manages to cut off a man's left arm and shotgun and then goes to split Q in half... but a shot from the Drill Blaster finally breaks it apart. Then the one-armed rebel torches the Mimic from behind, destroying it. 

The Men of Crete and the Children of the Moon are climbing the stairs, shooting any zombie, mosquito or Moblin standing in their way. They are surprised to see no Agents, but some black Moblins carry pistols. 

Leah observes that some parts of the mansion are still burned. Some of the valuable paintings, carpets and guards are gone. Finn's escape attempt has destroyed many guards here. 

Not all of them. Six Blue Demon Knights with halberds and shields block the way of the warriors. Leah can't fight even one unarmed. So, she rips a steel pipe from a wall and uses it to block a vertical strike going to split her scull in two. As she holds off two Knights at once, the other four charge at the rest of the rebels.

Q turns invisible and sneaks behind a Blue Demon Knight, who is fighting against a werewolf and winning. The werewolf goes for a bite, but gets bashed by the shield in the jaw and stabbed by the halberd. The knight raises his weapon to decapitate the Lycan, but the Drill Blaster fires twice in his back and kills him. 

Leah barely blocks a double halberd attack and is pushed back, and wishes either Finn or Toni, who are Jedi, were here. At least thanks to the former, there aren't about ten Gibdos along with these knights, and thanks to the latter her good arm is still in a good condition.

She fights dirty by kicking one of the knights in the balls, but the other manages to graze her shoulder, very close to her throat. Since the first knight wears body armor, he manages to recover quickly. He goes for a thrust, but Leah, knowing blocking is no use for someone at her skill level, uses her superhuman speed to just dodge it. 

A werewolf dodges swings of a knight, distracting him enough for a Man of Crete to shotgun him in the back. But the demon is strong enough to survive the shot.

He turns and almost cuts off the head of the shotgunner, but the werewolf lunges and puts him in a chokehold. He gives the time for the shotgunner to shoot the warrior again, but another Blue Demon Knight leaps and with one swing of his poleaxe slashes and kills the human. The rebel with the one arm charges with the torch and gets stabbed, but still sets the knight on fire.

Leah gets slashed in the torso. Her wound will close, but not very soon. She can't win as a human. She needs to be a wolf and use her head.

She starts running circles around the two knights. As they start getting confused, Q aims for the back of one's head and barely misses. The knight is distracted and charges at Q, but Leah lunges at the demon and bites his thigh, drawing blood. The knight makes an inhumane roar and turns.

As she is fighting the one knight, the other demon raises his own halberd to split Leah's scull open... but he feels something climbing at his neck. He manages to ignore it due to the armor and is about to strike... but that something, Little Finn, bites the knight's neck repeatedly. The knight manages to throw him off and actually attacks him with his poleaxe. The mouse barely avoids the strong slash. 

But he only wanted to stall for time. Leah dodges one more strike from the other knight, who blocks a shot from the Drill Blaster with his shield. The shield makes some big cracks. Clearwater lunges at the right time, taking the knight out. Then she switches in human form and leaps with her steel pipe at the other Blue Demon Knight. He barely manages to block with his shield, but then he gets three rapid hits. 

He retaliates with his halberd, but Leah parries and lands some rapid kicks before finishing him off with a strike in the head, just as Little Finn bites his heel.

Leah runs at the next room, where she dodges some knives and attacks two Vampire Infantrymen in her wolf form. Her training has made her much more competent than the average werewolf, and so she manages to put up a good fight.

Outside the mansion, the rebels have managed to destroy all Sand Golems. Poe, BB-8, the other pilot and the two remaining flamethrower soldiers charge inside. Vampires attack from many sides at them, but they are all burned alive... from a certain point of view on alive.

Poe shoots some Zombie Privates and Hellhounds with his blaster and reaches the others... who are attacked by two Gibdos, who came to help the knights and stunned rebels. The two troops with the flamethrowers burn the mummies, but the monsters did leave their mark, as a Blue Demon Knight manages to decapitate a stunned werewolf.

Leah feels the death. But she has no time to mourn... and knows where to place her anger. She dodges a spear stab and rips off a vampire's leg. Then she tears his throat with her wolf teeth... but almost gets hit by a thrown dagger. The other Vampire Infantryman fires more daggers, but Leah dodges using her full speed and lunges for a bite. The vampire risks it and kicks her in the jaw, making her flinch. Then he knocks her down with a punch and wounds her with his knife. But Leah manages to get up and knock him down, landing a flurry of rapid bites until the vampire drops dead.

She waits for a minute, in human form, to heal for a bit. She also finds and drinks a healing potion. They left it on the table in case some competent non-undead was mortally injured. Then she rushes forward. Little Finn has caught up to her. 

"Follow me, but Armilla must not realize you are with me. When I say your name, you find Finn and free him. You also give him his weapons. Whatever you do, don't fight Armilla. I don't want to lose you."

Speaking of her, she is waiting in a big room, the biggest one in the mansion, where they have performances, along with fifty Vampire Infantrymen. They have swords, spears and ballistic knives. 

As Leah enters the room, she sees it's a trap. Just as she is right behind the chandelier and charging as a wolf, Armilla throws a knife, cutting the chandelier off in an attempt to crush the girl. 

Leah nimbly dodges and lunges at the blonde vampire, but she teleports behind her, catches her tail and spins her around, sending her crashing into a wall. Then she draws a lightsaber. Finn's lightsaber.

"You know, Leah, this weapon feels right in my hands. It matters, since it's the saber of your pet. Oh, my bad, he is mine now. And I can play with his hot, big lightsaber whenever I like." 

She approaches slowly and ignites the saber. She has very good training, but still isn't good with such a weapon. She, however, wants to pretend she has become very skilled with it. 

"Tell me, have you ever kissed Finn?" 

Leah tries to get up, but gets hit by a thrown knife from the infantry. 

"N... no. Why?" 

"I am already ahead of you, worthless dog. Seems like he likes me more... I managed to get a kiss from him first. And he tastes like hot, juicy chocolate. Absolutely delicious. 

And now, I borrowed his weapon. And will cut off your head with it! Die by the weapon of the man who used to make you happy!" 

She raises the saber, but Leah sees she struggles to control it. She focuses on the enemy and pounces at her, knocking the weapon out of her hands. 

"Don't speak this way about my little Finn!"

At this point, the mouse grabs the saber and tries to advance, but sees the way blocked by the vampires. So, he turns tail and leaves the room from where he came. 

Armilla sees the mouse leaving with her saber. "Soldiers! Get the mouse! It has the saber!" 

At this point, Leah bites her in the arm, but the Vampire Lady teleports behind her and jumps at her back. She opens her mouth to drink her blood, but the Native American flips herself on the back, throwing the Vampire Lady off her. Then she turns human. As she sees the infantry chasing after Little Finn, she attacks one of the troops and stakes him. Another one attacks her with his sword, but she ducks the first hit and blocks the second with her steel pipe. Then sword and pipe clash, but Armilla emerges behind Leah and knees her in the back.

"Thank you, soldier. I am now going to finish this all by myself. Go slay the rest of the intruders." 

Leah struggles to get up, and Armilla kicks her before she does. "Oh, having a little problem, puppy? You think you are something but a stray dog? Who left her rightful place? You were only worthy to be an Omega. You screw everything up!"

Leah spits some blood. Armilla enjoys the smell. 

This time, Leah manages to get up. And she goes for a punch. 

"Oh, you are approaching me?" Armilla dodges and kicks her with her right leg. 

"You... you watch anime too?" 

"I do! I am actually quite a big fan. But, you killed many of my people and I stole your little toy. So, any attempt for us two to be friends will be USELESS! USELESS! USELESS! USELESS!"

"COME ON! COME ON! COME ON! COME ON!"

"MUDA MUDA MUDA MUDA!"

"ORA ORA ORA ORA!"

They trade blows faster than the human eye can see, at least seven punches per second!

Meanwhile, Little Finn is in the doghouse, since the Vampiric Infantry almost reaches him... but before the first of them manages to get him, a werewolf lunges at the vampire and lands a free hit. Then other werewolves come and face the bloodsuckers.

Little Finn, knowing the vampires are now distracted and unable to help Leah's pack, goes to save Finn. 

Q assists the werewolves. He brings his Drill Blaster and blows a vampire's head off. However, these vampires are stronger than the regular ones and two werewolves quickly get overwhelmed and killed. 

As a third one dies, Q gives an order. "We can't beat them here! Retreat! I repeat, RETREAT!" 

Leah and Armilla are still trading blows at great speeds. Until the latter, growing tired of the stalemate, uses her ability and teleports behind the Native American, giving her a flurry of rapid fists.

"MUDA MUDA MUDA MUDA MUDA!"

Leah can't withstand the force of so many and strong blows in a short time and gets knocked in the other side of the room.

Armilla floats above her. "You know... you aren't even worthy of having your blood sucked. Now you pay for what you did to my kind."

She spots Little Finn with her eye as he passes and goes to grab him. Maybe she will place him in her cleavage just to piss Leah off. But she doesn't get to even teleport, as Leah immediately turns into a wolf and pounces at her, her jaws coming dangerously close to the blonde's throat. After _narrowly_ missing biting Armilla's throat off, the brunette gets pushed back. But her attack allowed her pet mouse to escape, as the red-eyed bloodsucker punches her in the face again and again, focused only on her.

When she turns for a second, Little Finn has already been out of her sight. "No matter. I can just snatch your little pretty boy again. But you won't be able to save him!" Armilla starts kicking Leah with her sturdy, iron boots. Until Leah manages to find the strength to grab her left leg with her teeth. Armilla, not wanting to have it ripped off, exposing her weakness, doesn't put much resistance as Leah throws her to some of the seats in the mansion, where she hits her head. Armilla throws seats, but Leah manages to dodge or tear them apart.

But then Armilla throws a single knife that actually manages to wound Leah. Smelling the blood, she goes for a punch so fast that even Clearwater is unable to dodge it! 

SMACK!

"I will take your life the way I took a kiss from Finn before you!" 

WHACK!

"BY FORCE! MUDA MUDA MUDA MUDA!"

Leah gets hurt badly, but she also get angry enough to get up, turn into a human, block some punches and retaliating with hers. "ORA ORA ORA ORA ORA!"

Armilla gets struck multiple times and launched at a wall. She gets some knives and throws them at Leah, who sees she can't dodge all of them, even as a wolf. So, she starts punching them rapidly. But, after she deflects all the knives with punches, she barely manages to sense the Vampire Lady attacking her from behind with a kick. 

WHAM!

Leah, struck by the kick, jumps on the other chandelier, and as it falls and smashes to pieces, she manages to divebomb Armilla. Then she tries to stake her, but the vampire catches her right arm and makes her drop the stake. Leah picks it up, but gets stabbed in the back by another knife. However, she manages to backhand her attacker. 

Meanwhile, all the other rebels have retreated. The vampires follow them inside a tight corridor... when the last werewolf escapes, the flamethrower soldiers come in and pull the triggers. 

"It's a trap!" 

About ten vampires get cremated, but these ones aren't arrogant or stupid. They run away from the corridor and change tactics. The knife throwers will take cover and shoot at the soldiers with the flamethrowers, while the others will smash through walls to get in a room big enough not to lose any advantage.

In the big room, Armilla get punched in the face hard and knocked through the wall. 

"Is that all you've got? Oh well, you actually put up a good fight. Better than any other stray dog I fought, or even your little pet. Though then I went all-out immediately... while I was holding back with you until now!" 

She teleports to Limbo and drags Leah with her.

Then she leaves a chuckle as she summons Lesser Stygians around the Alpha. 

But, unlike with Finn, whom she liked enough to keep as a pet, she wants to kill Leah, so she also summons regular Stygians and Imps. 

"Time to put you down, you little _bitch!_ "

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Did you like the chess matches? Did you prefer the battle against the zombie Nazis?
> 
> The illusionist was something like a breather. Did you like his appearance?
> 
> More Rey, Leah and Armilla in the next chapter, "Ladies of War"! Includes the main battle between the last two!
> 
> Also, my thanks to the reader who subbed!
> 
> Please give me feedback!


	18. Ladies of War

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> This is it. Leah is determined to save Egypt and Finn from the vampires and faces Finn's captor, Armilla. Neither of these girls are going down without a fight. 
> 
> Meanwhile, Rey confronts one of the vilest monsters she has ever seen. And she is willing to atone for everything she has done on Kef Bir and Exegol.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The stars of this chapter are the girls!
> 
> Rey, the Jedi with the dark past!  
> Leah, the former Omega who carved her own destiny!  
> Armilla, the ruthless vampire lady!

Leah is surrounded. Her wounds are slowly healing, but so are Armilla's. The Vampire Lady points her finger at her, ordering an all-out attack.

The first Lesser Stygian attacks with its club, but Leah avoids it and destroys it with some swipes from her pipe. Then she ducks a fireball from an Imp and turns into a wolf, lunges at the demon and rips its throat with her teeth before clawing another Lesser Stygian.

"Come on!" Armilla taunts. "Even a human can pass my guards!"

She throws a knife, but Leah dodges it and it almost hits a Lesser Stygian. The she-wolf leaps at an Imp and tears its throat, but a Stygian strikes her with its razorblade. Leah lands so many claw swipes at the monster that it explodes in a mass of black ooze.

Her werewolf strength and speed helps her take on the lesser demons, and she improved both a lot because of her training. But she is vastly outnumbered and they are many demonic creatures. A fireball hits her, scorching her fur and wounding her. Before she can retaliate, a Stygian slashes her twice and blocks a claw swipe. Then a Lesser Stygian smacks Leah with its club.

Clearwater knows she is in big trouble. But she refuses to give up. She turns back into a human and brings her pipe straight to the head of a Stygian. She has to bash it about six times for it to drop dead.

Then she blocks a razor blade of a Stygian twice and kicks it in the face. Then, as the monster has flinched, Leah strikes it with her steel pipe. Then she knocks the Stygian down with a flying kick. A Lesser Stygian attacks with its spiked bat, but the Native American seathes her pipe, catches the bat and lands many body blows until the Stygian gets destroyed.

Then she unleashes a flurry of quick kicks at an Imp that tries to claw her before drawing her stake and shove it into the chest of a Lesser Stygian. The creature survives and a fireball hits Leah from the sides.

She is surrounded, but refuses to give up.

_I can do this._

Meanwhile, the other rebels are cornered. Both flamethrower soldiers are wounded by daggers of the Vampiric Infantry, but they still manage to burn about five bloodsuckers.

However, the rest of the vampire soldiers punch through walls and charge at the other rebels. Q puts his Drill Blaster to good use, while Poe uses his own blaster to destroy one of them with a shot in his red eyes. A vampire dashes fast towards the two flamethrower soldiers. If they are surrounded, the choke point becomes a weakness for the two humans.

But two werewolves lunge at him and bite part of his shoulder off. The vampire turns and fights them. He manages to stab one of them with his spear and knock him down. Then he tries to tear his head off, but the other werewolf lands rapid punches to the infantryman until he breaks a fang. The Vampire Infantryman chuckles and his fang heals instantly. Then he impales the werewolf and drinks his blood, making him an empty husk. But the first one has partially healed and rips the monster's head off.

As they are all fighting, Little Finn is sneaking past all the few remaining guards. The living portraits are a bit too high to spot him, the vampires are all distracted, the undead rats are beatable and the mindless zombies are easy to sneak past.

However, the mouse is spotted by a Blue Demon Knight, who starts chasing him to the corridors.

In another part of the mansion, Poe shoots one of the strong vampires in the armored chest, doing some damage but failing to kill him. The vampire gets close and dodges a blaster bolt in point-blank range before stabbing the ace pilot in the gut, managing to penetrate the armor. "Vampires are superior to humans... and we are more than regular vampires."

BB-8, knowing vampires don't eat droids, rolls towards Poe and torches his enemy! Set ablaze, the bloodsucker isn't even concentrated enough now to avoid Poe's shot in point-blank range. Boom!

Meanwhile, far in the North, Rey and her forces have approached the Old Berlin. Since Pan, Dex and Nicky kicked the Black Legion out of there, it was mostly a neutral zone... until some "Hatemonger" showed up.

Rey needs to quickly take him out before he becomes a big threat. So, she orders an all-out attack. Fresh from their victory, the Scavengers charge with both ships and infantry, Rey leading in the front lines with her double-bladed yellow saber.

She had to beat her Dark self and solve three riddles, but now she has opened the Jedi Holocron, boosting her strength very much.

She decides to test it as the Nazi Zombies bring forth their tanks. Rey manages to raise her hands and knock two of the killer machines off the ground.

Then she slices a zombie in half with her lightsaber and stabs another in the gut. A bomber is about to drops its lethal load on Rey and her troops in the front lines, but one fighter of the Scavengers blows the left wing of the bomber off. It gets shot down, but its undead pilot uses a parachute and lands safely on the ground. He fires a bullet and wounds a Scavenger before a foot-soldier of Rey takes him out.

The Scavengers seem to fare well on the first wave... but the Nazi zombies have their own weapons. An Imperial Assault Walker, not different from the AT-AT Palpatine used to deploy on ground attacks. Behind it, colossal Mecha-Nazis with machine guns for hands.

The Assault Walker fires at the Scavenger ships and its laser cannons take three ships out. Rey is impressed. How did the Nazis find this technology? No matter! She leaves a fierce battlecry and cuts a hand of a Mecha-Nazi who was filling a Scavenger with lead.

Then she cuts off the other arm from the shoulder. The gigantic machine is not fazed and fires a homing missile from its mouth! Rey knows she can't dodge it or cut it in half... but she uses the Force to stop it and send it back to the machine's face, blowing it up.

"I heard a story about some L3 from Lando. She would be truly pissed right now!"

A Mecha-Nazi shrugs off blaster bolts and guns down three Scavengers, while the Assault Walker fires in the middle of the infantry and kills ten enemy troops at once. Even Rey herself, who manages to take out two more Mecha-Nazis with ease, is shot in the left arm by a lucky enemy trooper.

This does not slow the woman down. Rey shoots the Nazi dead with her blaster and pushes many enemy troopers backwards with the Force. Then she focuses on the Assault Walker. The giant vehicle is destroying both infantry and ships with its cannons. If Rey doesn't finish it off quickly, her forces will lose the battle.

So, she rushes at the vehicle and strikes its front left leg with her lightsaber, leaving a cut. The cannons turn to her and she only dodges the following blast because of her training, experience and reflexes.

An allied ship strikes the Assault Walker with its blasters, but the armor is too strong for these blasters. The Walker returns fire. Rey orders via hologram for the ships to distract the vehicle. As they do, the Jedi jumps under the belly of the monstrosity.

A Scavenger ship gets shot down by the Walker, but Rey manages to cut a hole in the belly with her saber and get inside. Master Luke had told her about how he took out an AT-AT and she would like to make her adoptive father proud. She shoots a guard dead and takes his detonators. She places one on the inside of the vehicle and then jumps away.

Meanwhile, the Scavengers on the Falcon manage to destroy a Mecha-Nazi that was about to shoot a Scavenger speeder down. They see the explosion of the Assault Walker and realize that the way to the Hatemonger is open.

The Nazis had even their own stormtroopers, the Galetroopers. Only they were not slave soldiers, but volunteers who hated everyone but themselves. They were as competent as Rey's scavengers and also had blasters. Now, as zombies, they are worse shots, but more durable. Rey manages to graze one with her blaster, and has to block blaster bolts with her lightsaber.

Speaking of lightsabers, six Imperial Elites appear. They all carry blue lightsabers and are very well trained and experienced, but don't have the Force, just skills.

Rey uses Force Lightning on four Galetroopers and confronts all six Elites at once. She remembers when she fought against Snoke's Praetorians or Palpatine's Royal Guards. Both times, she had the help of Ben... the man she helped save... but now? He is gone. And her only other allies who could wield lightsabers? Luke and Leia are dead too, and Finn is somewhere and probably has forgotten her.

These thoughts distract her long enough for an Elite to parry a sloppy attack and another to stab Rey in the ribs. A third one kicks her so hard she is knocked to the ground.

For the first time after the Dyad was gone, Rey wanted Ben to be alive. Yes, their Dyad was made to glorify abuse and manipulation, but Ben was her true equal, and could have helped her at this exact moment.

The Elites don't lose time at all. One stabs her in the back. If not for the Holocron, which also enhanced her durablity beyond human levels, she would be dead. Now, she is injured and really pissed.

"You all made a big mistake... I am the granddaughter of Emperor Palpatine."

And she leaves a _terrifying_ battlecry that comes with the Force knocking all six enemies down. Rey decapitates the first before he can react and electrocutes the second to death. However, the other Elites have recovered. One gets shot in the back by a scavenger, but turns and stabs her. He gets one more shot in the eye. Both the scavenger and the Elite drop dead. Rey unleashes a flurry of rapid slashes at another Elite, who tries his best to block all of them. Rey seems to be weakening his guard blow by blow until she is forced to parry another Elite.

Her double blades help her parry both enemy sabers at once as they come on her and she kicks one of them in the stomach. Then she disarms the other one... literally. She focuses on the two remaining healthy enemies. Pushing them down with the Force, she crushes one by lifting part of the destroyed Walker and dropping it on him. The last one almost stabs her in the throat, but is outmatched only in their second round and cut in half.

The one-armed Elite has retrieved the lightsaber and charges again, but dies to a headshot. However, she missed the first shot as she turned and had to shoot again for the kill.

With all six Elites down, Rey knows the way to the Hatemonger is open. And she can't give up now. She did not give up on others, even when she knew she was in the wrong.

Meanwhile, Leah is in the doghouse, as despite her superhuman strength and durability, and unique speed, the lesser demons are all stronger than a regular human and way too many.

She is now in her wolf form, having trained for a special technique in this one. It's her last hope. The Three-Sided Strike. She rapidly lunges at three demons and pounces on them faster than even they can see. After she lands on the ground, they all drop dead.

The she-wolf growls at the incoming monsters and makes them step backwards for a moment... then they all dogpile on her. They are not really heavy by themselves, but their numbers allow them to flatten even a dragon.

Leah's brawn won't help her. She doesn't bother to shake them all off her, she knows this will fail. Instead, she digs underground with her sharp claws and creates a tunnel through the rocks and marbles of this place. She doesn't have much time until they crush her.

As she enters the tunnel, the demons put more power and weight.

Leah keeps digging... and gets right under Armilla! She manages to strike her left leg hard enough to almost cut it off again. The Vampire Lady bares her teeth. If looks could kill, the blonde's stare would have slain all werewolves in the world, even if they have trained beyond their physical limits.

But Armilla doesn't use just her looks to fight. "I am going to make a nice coat from your fur, man-eating slut!" She draws many knives from her cleavage and leaves a smile before starting to throw them at Leah, at such a wide radius that she can't avoid them all.

Leah turns into a human again. "COME ON! COME ON! COME ON! COME ON!" She starts punching the knives coming at her. But Armilla teleports around and throws more and more knives!

"Resisting is useless! Surrender!"

Leah keeps punching. Her stamina doesn't seem to run out soon and she keeps punching the daggers. The red-eyed bloodsucker doesn't stop teleporting and attacking. The werewolf girl keeps punching, even though she starts getting tired.

One of the knives isn't like the others. It's made out of silver. Leah gives that dagger one strong left punch... it pierces the upper side of her left arm and leaves a burning cut. Then some knives start striking home! A blade manages to get Leah's left leg, while one more pierces her right arm. But Clearwater keeps punching and deflecting them. Another dagger strikes her in the chest and three more in the back. Finally, one grazes her ear. Another silver dagger comes at the girl, but she dodges it, allowing herself to get hit by a regular one in the waist.

In the end the woman collapses from her injuries.

Armilla finally gets a breath of fresh air. She has already won the duel. The demons have already surrounded the two. The she-wolf now can't even stand up. She is powerless, they are many and strong, and she has no way out of Limbo, unlike Armilla.

All it takes for the Vampire Lady to win is to teleport out of Limbo and leave Leah there forever. The she-wolf won't stand a chance, and even if she somehow finds a way to win out of nowhere, she will be stranded there alone, a fate worse than death!

Armilla actually does that.

_However..._

Time was slowing down for Leah. She was still alive, just really, really injured. She couldn't fail her friends. She couldn't fail Finn. She risked coming all the way for him, she can't die now!

No, she never gave up, even when nobody cared about her. She uses all her remaining energy and throws herself at Armilla, using all her speed. And, just for a milisecond, she manages to touch Armilla's waist!

The vampire's gift allowed anything she touched to teleport with her. It helped her carry her weapons and also to take Finn to her mansion. But now, for once, it works against her.

So, when Armilla teleports on the streets of Cairo to see the moon, she takes Leah with her unintentionally.

She sees this and grabs the other woman by the throat. "I made a promise to Al Astor. After I break your neck, I will suck your boyfriend dry."

A police officer stops the pale woman by pointing a handgun at her. "Hold still! I spotted you red-handed. You are under arrest for attempted murder!"

Armilla is surprised. Yes, she is mostly in the shadows, unlike Benjamin, but she thought all cops are loyal to the government. Apparently, this one is loyal to justice.

"Go for it."

The cop actually shoots the woman, but the bullet does nothing but distract her. Armilla grabs him by the shoulders and licks her lips seductively.

"Do you turn against your government? Our wise governor gave me permission to kill this woman for being a rebel. Want to be punished for treason?"

"All I see is you trying to murder a helpless woman. This is not justified, even if you are doing this for the government or some Greater Good! Authorities should never abuse their power!"

Leah starts healing. She still can't stand up, but can start removing knives. However, she is still too weak to stop what happens next.

Armilla buries her head in the policeman's neck and bites him. Then she starts drinking his blood. She keeps drinking until the cop becomes an empty husk. This also fully heals her from all her injuries except for a certain scar.

"Aaaah... juicy! That will teach these cops to betray their government! Our cause! I believe I taught him a lesson."

Leah saw all of this and could not react because of her injuries. Now an innocent is dead on her watch and she could not stop it. That cop wanted to do what's right. And this bloodsucker just ate him.

"No..." she thought. "I won't allow her to hurt anyone else! I have to avenge this man!"

Armilla turns to Leah and smirks. "You failed to save this human. It's ok, he was just an animal. Like you, I want to survive. Now, where were we? Ah, yes."

She extends a hand to strangle Leah...

But Leah was healing every second. Now she is in a shape to fight again! And she catches Armilla's right arm and starts squeezing it.

As the Vampire Lady's mouth opens in shock, she gets a really, really strong right hook on the cheek that damages her scull and sends her flying backwards.

Armilla struggles to get up, but Leah is already upon her and starts landing rapid hooks to her pale face.

"I AM GOING TO MAKE YOU PAY FOR EVERYTHING, ABOMINATION! YOU WILL WISH YOU WERE STILL A MORTAL!" Leah keeps punching, eventually going for a flurry of straight punches at the monster. "ORA ORA ORA ORA ORA!"

In the end, she grabs Armilla from her blond hair and slams her face to the ground, repeatedly. Armilla is lucky her face is harder than concrete, because the slams manage to break the road they are on. In the end, Leah makes her opponent bloody and rubs her face to the hole she made on the road.

The Vampire Lady has only one way to keep herself alive... she teleports very high to the sky, along with Leah. Vampires can float. Werewolves cannot. So the vampire just pushes the werewolf away from her and throws her to the ground.

"Goodbye, dog!"

Back to Germany, Rey has boarded the Falcon and fires away at the zombies and planes. The Falcon's shields are damaged by the machine guns of the Nazi fighters, but the ship still stands its ground and blows up many enemies. Soon, the Falcon manages to reach the Hatemonger's castle. Rey lands on the top of a tower. Now she has only to open the gates and stop the Hatemonger.

As she climbs down to a corridor, she is confronted by two SS troopers and one Zomberial Officer. "For the Fifth Reich!"

The Fourth one was the Terran Empire, led by Queen Sarya de Venegar. The strongest woman on Earth, Pan had to put her in jail. She was also really obsessed with him and even groped him when she captured him. Thankfully, the Resistance destroyed her empire.

The three are all durable and good shots, but still no match for Rey's blaster, saber and Force abilities. After they fall, another Nazi, alive, aims at her. "Your place is in the kitchen!" He immediately gets shot in the chest.

"No, you stay in the kitchen."

As she wanders the corridors, SS try and fail to stop her. Even battle droids with alien technology fail to stop the Jedi Knight. Even without the added power of the Holocron, Rey is still the killer of Palpatine and can defeat these Nazis.

However, some enemy bullets and blaster bolts still graze her. She manages to hack her way through the undead Nazis.

Nothing seems to stop her as she manages to take out the guards of the gates and open them. Now, only the Hatemonger himself remains.

Back to Egypt, BB-8 manages to torch another vampire and barely dodges a spear by rolling. Q blows a vampire's head off with his Drill Blaster... but it overheats!

"Damn!"

A vampire manages to slash him with his sword and knock him out, but before he drinks his blood he is attacked by a werewolf. Another rebel burns a vampire with a molotov, but gets punched through the back by another vampire.

"These ones are really good!" Poe comments as he barely avoids a spear jab. "We need help! Powerful help!"

Little Finn keeps running from the Blue Demon Knight. He intentionally tries to make some mess, but this barely slows the knight down. In the end, the mouse manages to find the basement and Finn's cell. The damaged mansion has now a small hole in the wall between the corridor and the black man's room and the mouse gets inside...

Then he chews Finn's ropes off.

"Little Finn? It's you?" Finn hugs the mouse. He was happy to see someone who was not an enemy.

"What's this? My saber? But if I escape, they will attack a city!"

"Squeak! Squeak!"

"What? The others are here to rescue me? We can do this together!"

Then the Blue Demon Knight kicks through the door.

"I've got you! Now, you will not escape me!" He slashes with his halberd to cut the mouse in two...

Only for the big Finn to stop the axe with a single hand. "No." He waves a finger in front of the Blue Demon Knight, smiling.

The helmet covers the demon's expression. "Uh oh..."

Then a certain blue lightsaber passes through him.

Half a minute later, the knight's carcass is kicked through the door. "Ok, little buddy... where is my blaster?"

Little Finn leads him to the armory. Moblins and zombies get in their way, but are defeated soon.

It does not take long before Finn finds not just his blaster, but some detonators as well. He kisses the blaster and hugs the little mouse. "You know... I was never so happy to see an animal in my life!"

The mouse gives an approving nod.

Then both Finns go to find the others.

But some living portraits are still active and get in their way... and they also spit ice chunks from their mouths. Finn deflects some with the Force before returning fire.

Three blaster bolts strike a painting and it is suddenly set ablaze, but Finn barely dodges an ice chunk coming at him.

Elsewhere, on the streets of Cairo, Leah and Armilla are still trading blows as midnight has almost fallen. Both creatures of the Night are far stronger now and they are trading blows even more rapidly.

"You think you are above humans because you can fly and drink their blood? So can mosquitoes!"

"Your attempts to drop my morale are useless! USELESS! USELESS! USELESS!"

The women trade punches faster than the human eye can see, at their full speed.

"ORA ORA ORA ORA ORA ORA ORA!"

"MUDA MUDA MUDA MUDA MUDA MUDA!"

Two bystanders almost ignore them. "Just two anime fangirls playing pretend."

Leah's super speed allows her to keep up with the Vampire Lady. Nobody seems to get the upper hand. Half a minute and many, many punches later, Leah draws her wooden stake and goes for the heart. Armilla blocks with her left arm and gets just a scratch.

"This is why vampires are greater than werewolves. For my weakness, you have to use it in my heart. While I..." She draws a silver knife and stabs Leah repeatedly in the stomach. "... do not!"

Leah looks in shock as Armilla forms a sadistic smirk. Armilla is enjoying every moment of this! When she finally stops stabbing, she kicks Leah backwards.

Leah finds herself unable to get up again. Armilla starts gloating. This fight has tired her out and she wants to savor her victory over her archenemy. "Foolish dog! You thought you were any match for me??? I have a dream, pariah! After I show your head to the world, I am going to be the Contessa! The worthy successor of Count Dracula! I will have a lot of power and authority! All vampires will obey me!" She keeps gloating and laughing. "And, do you know what Dracula had? Brides. And I am planning to have some grooms when I become the Contessa."

Leah thinks about what Armilla might have done to Finn. She grits her teeth and gives the woman such a hard punch that the Vampire Lady is sent flying through a glass door and her left leg is nearly dislodged.

Armilla struggles to get up. "Damn, she is good. That's it, no more mistakes." When Leah charges at full speed with her steel pipe, Armilla simply teleports and dodges the blow. Then she hits her back with another knife. "As I said, I am going to be the Contessa!"

She teleports to dodge another swipe. Then she is on air and hurls a silver knife, but Leah manages with perfect timing to bat it away with her pipe! However, a second silver knife strikes her one knee, forcing her to stand on the other.

As Leah struggles to remove the dagger and her hands are burning, Armilla divebombs her and knocks her down. "No more chances for you, woman!"

Leah is bleeding badly, but finally manages to remove the knife and throw it at the vampire. It penetrates her armor, but merely distacts her as Leah turns into a wolf and pounces on the vampire. She lands rapid strikes with claws and teeth. The pale white woman would have no chance to escape if not for her vampiric gift.

She gives a right hook to Leah's face, making her flinch just enough for the blonde to teleport away.

"Where did she go?"

Meanwhile, in Germany, the Scavenger Army has lost over two thirds of their troops and ships, but they managed to get inside the castle. The first scavenger that gets in immediately dies by an SS member.

However, each Nazi that gets defeated inside the castle makes Rey's job a little easier. Rey herself has defeated a giant spider mech with the head of an undead Heinrich Himmler and an Ion Machine Gun in its belly. Now she encounters a man wearing a suit that is all white and covers him completely. The suit is so white that Alice Cullen would adore it. With the exception of the giant, black, swastika on the chest.

The man is sitting on a throne equally white, while the room around him has red and black. It's very similar to Snoke's throne room, except the symbols of the First Order are replaced with phoenixes and swastikas.

Rey couldn't beat Snoke then, she was lucky Kylo found her useful. But now she is far stronger and needs nobody to help her, especially not an abuser.

"Are you the Hatemonger?"

"Yes, I am. And you are that crazy feminist that fights my men. I didn't know you had it in you. Weren't you the great person who trusted Aryan men who abused women and took children over niggers? I actually admire that attitude."

"No. I am the great person whose flaws include being too proud to ask for help from anyone. I am not the Palpatine you think I am. I am a Skywalker."

"A Skywalker, huh? More of a Solo. You are a woman. Your place is in the kitchen. To serve the greatness of white men. You are nothing."

Rey is scanning the throne room. No men in the suits of armor around her. Good. Those Praetorians were actually competent enough to put up a fight against her. Of course, she has to hear the voice of the Hatemonger, who seems like he is barking.

"But not to me." the Hatemonger continues. "You started off as feminist scum. But I am making you an offer. Join me, and show the world that race and gender are what make the people."

Rey makes a gesture, questioning the Hatemonger's common sense and intelligence. "You can't be serious..."

The man in the white suit animates the suits of armor and they charge at Rey simultaneously. But Rey's eyes turn a bit yellow. With a roar she uses her maximum power of the Force to float in the center of the room and obliterate all the suits of armour. Then she focuses her anger in a stream of blue Force Lightning.

But, to her surprise, the Hatemonger casts his own and they clash! "This technique requires anger. Hatred. And I have hatred in spades."

The blue streams of lightning fail to overpower each other. The granddaughter of Palpatine is very powerful, but doesn't have the Darkness of her grandfather. The Hatemonger has more malice and hatred, but not the power of the Palpatine family.

In the end, the thunderbolts prove themselves to be equal and an explosion is heard, slightly injuring both people. The Hatemonger draws a lightsaber, ignites it and jumps from his throne. The red blade goes to split Rey's head in two, but the Jedi uses her yellow saber to parry the strike.

"You are not worthy of your name, Rey. Palpatine should never have made you!"

"That's probably what he thinks in the afterlife!" Rey spins her blades quickly, but the Hatemonger manages to block all the strikes.

"You worthless wench!" The hooded man manages to slash Rey in the torso, knocking her down. Then he hits her once more with a flying kick. "You should stick to cooking, making clothes and bearing children. You were only worthy to be Kylo's housewife!"

Rey's eyes turn even more yellow. Absolutely pissed, the scavenger of Jakku parries the finishing blow and glares at her enemy. As the Nazi flinches, the Jedi holds his saber down with her own, using all her strength, and with her free hand sends Force Lightning in the perfectly white mask, in point blank range!

"I AM NOBODY'S HOUSEWIFE!"

The mask is destroyed, along with the hood, revealing the true face of the enemy General...

It's an undead, with purple skin. He has black hair and eyes. The eyes show that he was insane even in life. But what made the most impression to Rey was the toothbrush mustache.

It's the worst abomination that walked the Earth as a regular person...

Rey grits her teeth. "This is your true face? I am going to tear it apart!"

The two clash blades again and again. The mustached man jumps backwards at one point and fires blue Force Lightning at Rey. The girl barely manages to block it when the man dashes forward, about to slice her in half with his saber. The Jedi finds her footing just in time and parries the strike. Then she goes on the defensive, having to deflect the onslaught of the man's attacks.

However, he is relentless, and strikes at a moment Rey pauses to catch her breath! Slashed in the leg, the Jedi drops to the ground. The man lifts her with the Force.

"Foolish girl... I am Adolf Hitler." He starts Force Choking her. "I sense your army, coming to help you. They don't know that the next room is a gas chamber. I will close the doors with the Force when everybody steps in and release the mustard gas to kill all of them. Surrender and I will leave them alone."

Rey gasps for air. "I... I surrender."

Then she sends a telepathic message to her army to find another route. Hitler isn't so potent as to realize she did it at all.

"You surrender? Very well. You are all prisoners of war now. Which means you will go to my concentration camps. There, I am going to have you work, as it's your destiny. After all, work makes people free."

"You... you are a monster!"

"A monster am I? Don't worry, these rehabilitation camps aren't so bad! There are nice warm showers, as well as ovens to keep you from getting cold. They also help to make food. And we also make good soaps!"

Rey uses the Force to sense the Light and Dark inside this man. The hatred and malice were leaking from Adolf like the black ooze that makes the Stygians. She does not trust him at all. Now she imagines what would happen if the Dark One made her and Hitler a Dyad, and in the end she was forced to have connection with him everywhere... Kylo was bad enough, but this man is far worse.

Then the Scavenger senses her allies leaving the room and finding another way. She immediately pushes Hitler back with the Force, sending him to crash at his throne.

"B... but you said you would surrender!"

"I lied."

Back to Egypt, Leah keeps looking for Armilla.

To her surprise, she sees a bulldozer coming at her fast! And the bulldozer is coming from the sky!

What had happened?

Armilla had teleported to her mansion. With Leah stranded in the middle of Cairo, the Vampire Lady would go to Finn's cell and play with him a little. Then she would drink some of his blood to heal herself and use him as a hostage to negotiate with Leah.

To her major annoyance, she saw the cell empty and a Blue Demon Knight dead by a lightsaber stab.

"I thought he was so nice! I was so kind and sweet to him! This is how he repays my kindness?" The bloodsucker left a really angry growl.

She would teach him to run away from her. He could not hide from her. And, most of all, he just doomed a city.

So, she teleported to the pyramids of Egypt, where the Hammer was awaiting. "My dear co-General, Finn has escaped again. You know what you have to do."

"Of course. Cairo will be turned to ash, and the only one to blame will be the Traitor. This will turn the public against him."

Armilla, not wanting to risk a straight fight with Clearwater, wanted to find a weapon. Something stronger than any werewolf. Stopping by a construction site, the vampire's red eyes were fixed on a heavy bulldozer. She went to steal it, but the workers tried to stop her with shovels and pickaxes. Armilla killed all of them with her fangs and hands with no scratch.

"Aaah... I needed some blood. Now, Leah, you are finished!"

Back to the present, Armilla is ecstating as she is about to use her secret weapon to crush Leah. "FEAR THE MIGHT OF THE FEARSOME BULLDOZEEEER!"

Leah knows she can't destroy it with her bare hands, so she uses her super speed to dodge it. She runs as fast as she can, hoping to avoid the heavy vehicle...

However, when she starts sweating, she finds it right in front of her and can't stop immediately! And Armilla, who managed to get ahead thanks to her teleportation, uses all of her speed and power to bring the vehicle right on top of her!

"I WILL PUT YOU UNDER, DOG! DIE!!!"

SMASH!

Armilla puts her own weight on to press just a little harder. She stands on top of the bulldozer and makes a pose where she stands in one leg and flexes. She winks at anyone who could be passing by.

"Huff... I did it. I actually did it. Now, I will relax for a bit and then take out the rest of the intruders. Then I can have some hot, dark brown, chocolate..."

Inside her mansion, the intruders still are in trouble. There is only one flamethrower soldier remaining and he is badly injured by knives. On the other hand, there is also one remaining Vampire Infantryman... He is about to throw a knife and finish the last human off.

A blue lightsaber emerges through the vampire's back. "The paintings were much harder than this!" Finn comments. Wounded by ice chunks, he approaches the dying soldier.

As he was in prison, he was longing for some company. Of genuine friends. He could never Force Heal because it reminded him of her. Rey. And her actions.

Now? Now he wishes he had shallowed his pride then and learned. He does his best to try now. This man is dying just to save his skin. Finn can't let him die!

"What are you doing, General?"

"Trying to put my master's teachings in use! I snubbed this technique, but I need to use it now!"

"Healing? But I am just a soldier! I am expendable!"

"Nobody is expendable! Not you, not anyone!"

At this moment, he focuses on his task. He really wants to save this innocent man. If he fails, it's all his fault. His stubbornness got him kidnapped and didn't allow him to ever Force Heal.

Failing to heal the man, in spite of his willpower, made him think of something else. He looks close by for some medikits or healing potions.

"General... Why? You are wasting time!"

"I am not."

The soldier keeps losing blood from his wounds. Finn finds a maid who is carrying supplies. "Hello there. Am I bothering?"

"Who are you?"

"The favorite pet of your mistress, my dear. Would like to ask for a healing potion."

"Sure. Mistress probably wants her pets healthy."

Finn takes it and rushes at the man... And makes him drink the potion at the last second. If he was a little too late, the soldier would have died!

"Now, let's find the others."

Poe Dameron was struggling with a strong vampire in hand-to-hand combat. The vampire kicked BB-8 when the droid wanted to help. However, Little Finn sneaks and bites the bloodsucker's heel, distracting him enough for Poe to shoot him in the face with his blaster. BB-8 finishes the vampire by burning. Another vampire comes, the mate of the last one. She grabs hold of Poe and tries to eat him... But Finn appears and cuts off her head.

"Finn!"

"Poe!"

The two embrace mid-battle. For one second, they forget the battle is still raging around them. They missed each other so much!

Then they nod at each other. "Let's do this!"

And they fire their blasters simultaneously at the nearest Vampire Infantryman, who was overpowering a Child of the Moon. One blaster bolt alone doesn't kill a vampire, even if it isn't a soldier, but does injure it. The barrage of the constant bolts manages to kill the bloodsucker soon. Elsewhere, a vampire is going for Q, but two rebels distract him with bullets and a werewolf kills him with multiple strikes.

A Vampire Infantryman charges with his spear at Finn, faster than the human's eyes can even see! If not for the Force guiding his movements, the man would stand no chance of dodging the stab! Even with the Force, he barely has time to dodge and misses the counterattack. "Damn!"

He fires his blaster, but the vampire dodges all the shots. Then the bloodsucker charges again... but the former Stormtrooper uses the Force again, and is more prepared this time. He manages to parry the iron spear and slash upwards, splitting his enemy's upper body in two before the monster can react!

"It's good to be back."

Meanwhile, Rey is in the doghouse. She is launched via the Force through a wall, making a mark on the throne room. She gets back on her feet, though, and charges at the Fuhrer. The sabers lock and they struggle to overpower each other.

However, Hitler is not limited to the Force in abilities. As his strength starts failing him, he fights dirty by breathing toxic gas at Rey's face. The Skywalker can't stand the toxicity of the Hatemonger.

The toxic gas has entered her breathing system, forcing her to desperately cough for air. As she is struggling to breathe, in a shocking display of honor and integrity, the Hatemonger stabs her in the chest!

"You are inferior. You are but a woman. Your job is to marry, breed, die. You were going on and on about how you don't need help, but Kylo taught you your place. You are beneath me!"

Rey's eyes become more yellow than ever. For one second, she thought about the Hatemonger being revived by Palpatine, in an attempt to turn his granddaughter evil. But she ignored the thought. The Hatemonger is despicable, he has to die!

Thankfully for her, the red lightsaber missed her heart and lungs. She can barely fight now, but at least she survived the blow.

Hitler raises his red lightsaber to cut off her head. He really wants to torture that skank, who dared reject her place after she momentarily accepted it. But she was too powerful, so he elected to just kill her.

As he is exposed, Rey uses all of her remaining Force Power, even sacrificing midichlorians, to cast the strongest bolt of Force Lightning she has ever casted.

It strikes Hitler square in the chest. Palpatine doesn't stop, instead she keeps zapping. "You underestimated me because of my gender! Gender and race don't make the Jedi or the Sith! You are nothing. A petty leader, who thinks he somehow was born better than others. You believe you are the supreme being right now. Tell me... how does it feel... to be destroyed by a girl?"

Adolf can no longer take the Lightning and blows up!

Rey stands on his ashes, spits on them and then blows them away.

"It's done. The Hatemonger is gone."

Meanwhile, on Egypt, things happened. Leah had turned into a werewolf and started digging, just like when dogpiled by the lesser demons, and managed to dig a tunnel underground. She snuck behind Armilla, turning into her human form again before climbing the bulldozer. Then she drew her steel pipe.

Armilla's vampiric senses allowed her to notice the she-wolf sneaking and turn to face her. But the pipe strike was still too fast for the Vampire Lady to block. Its speed and power were such that Armilla found herself on the ground, the pipe having struck her face.

Leah leapt after her and tried to punch her hard, but Armilla teleported in the driver's seat of the bulldozer and rammed her, injuring her badly. Now Leah tries to run from the bulldozer, throwing a brick in the way. It smashes the glass of the vehicle and strikes Armilla on the head. It makes her flinch for one second. But the scrath it made heals instantly.

"You need to try harder that THAT."

Armilla manages to corner Leah and grab her with the blade of the bulldozer. Then she sends her upwards and launches her whenever the poor woman lands. Again... and again... and again!

"Do you know how much I enjoy your screams? You are my second favorite toy right now!" Armilla thought of playing with Finn like this, too, but he was a human and she didn't want to kill him. Maybe she would use her own body instead of a bulldozer.

Leah lands on the blade of the bulldozer again. She gets launched once more towards the sky. "AAAARGH!"

Armilla moves in the right place to catch her. "Now you wish you were half as great as a vampire!" She isn't as arrogant as other vampires, but she still is proud of her species and really wants to break Leah. "Half as great as me! Nobody loves you! Nobody cares about you!"

Leah gets caught and launched again. Her back hurts a lot. Her vision starts becoming blurry. And before she can catch a break... she lands again, and gets launched higher than ever.

This time, she is sent flying far away, out of the Vampire Lady's sight!

She elects not to look for her by teleporting, if Leah is still alive she can cause her trouble. No, she has to look for her adversary inside the bulldozer, and make absolutely sure she is dead.

Then she will drink her blood and destroy the remaining rebels. One by one. Toni is knocked out, Poe and Q might try to outsmart her and do a good job, but aren't strong enough to fight her and Finn is a danger, but not as much as Leah.

Five minutes later, Armilla hasn't found Leah yet. She growls in anger. Werewolves had healing abilities, and Leah might as well be in a shape to fight again. And she gets angrier once she finds her first clue... a big hole in her way. Leah obviously wants her out of the bulldozer.

"Well, let's find another way." Armilla makes a circle. When she gets close to the hole from the other side, she finds the she-wolf standing bravely.

The only way to get across is on foot or with her vampiric gift. For a moment, she hesitates. A moment for the Native American to jump high and perform her best kick in her life!

She manages to get through the already shattered glass of the bulldozer, but some parts of it give her small cuts. This does not stop the werewolf, who manages to kick Armilla so hard that she sends her flying out of the bulldozer!

Then she lunges after her and starts wailing on her. The vampire's arms wrap around the Indian's neck, but Leah keeps punching, forcing Armilla to let go.

In the end, the Vampire Lady uppercuts Leah hard and teleports behind her. "I am going to be the Contessa! And you are going to die as a dog!"

And she gives a powerful left kick to Leah's face...

At the last second, Leah focuses all of her strength in a single punch and strikes Armilla's left leg. The impact is so powerful that Leah's fist actually hurts, partially because of the tough vampire skin!

Then Armilla's leg starts cracking.

[A Stranger I remain](https://youtu.be/h-rj8HVW3PQ)

Armilla doesn't seem to be worried. But the cracks keep spreading! Nothing that the vampiric body could not heal! 

And the cracks reach the scar, made by Finn's saber. Her entire leg feels the burn, that scar was still burning. 

"AAAAAAAARGH!" 

The Vampire Lady screams as her entire left leg shatters to pieces in an explosion of blood. This is so devastating that the vampire is knocked down, yelling in absolute pain! 

Her leg is completely gone, and the cauterization does not allow her to grow a new one! 

Leah approaches, a cold look in her eyes. 

But Armilla does not accept defeat. 

"I will let you know, my bad leg beat me, not you!" 

Leah tries to find a good counter... until she realizes that wound was from a saber. Finn must have done it.

"Well, _you_ kidnapped a Jedi. Not me. Who is to blame, a _human_ or your own stupidity?"

Armilla, in fury, screeches, bares her teeth, gazes at Leah with her blood red eyes. She won't admit defeat! Not now! 

She lunges at the she-wolf... only to get punched repeatedly. "ORA ORA ORA ORA ORA ORA ORA ORA ORA ORA ORA ORA ORA ORA ORA ORA!" 

After everything Leah, her loved ones and innocent people got from Armilla, the she-wolf enjoyed every single punch to the vampire's face. 

With an uppercut she knocks Armilla a few feet away. Blood comes from the Vampire Lady's mouth. 

Then Leah turns around. "It's over. It's finally over... This might be the toughest enemy I have ever beat." 

But Armilla is not finished! She teleports right above Leah, holding a silver knife. If she plants it on her back, she can teleport safely to her mansion and make a new, prosthetic leg, while Leah will die! She can still turn the tables! She can still win! 

Leah's werewolf senses hear the sound of teleportation. She looks behind her and prepares a punch... that strikes the other woman in the stomach. The brunette is ready to finally finish this!

"ORA ORA ORA ORA ORA ORA ORA ORA ORA ORA ORA ORA ORA ORA ORA ORA ORA ORA ORA ORA ORA ORA ORA!" The first Ora made Armilla drop the knife, and the last one is not a fist! Leah draws her stake really quickly and digs it inside the bloodsucker's heart.

"No..." Armilla looks terrified as the stake gets deeper. She remembers what she has done. How she and the Hammer stopped rebellions together. The way she got the scar. As she remembers kissing Finn, she smiles for a moment. And then, she can see nothing more.

Leah wipes off blood and sweat from her face. "A good opponent, but a horrible person." Then, at full speed, she dashes towards the dead vampire's mansion.

Inside the mansion, the recovered flamethrower soldier singes the last Vampire Infantryman. The last enemy appears. A Vampire Elder. Finn charges with his saber, the flamethrower soldier tries to burn the bloodsucker, a werewolf lunges at the Elder. 

But a force field blocks all three. The Elder is used to all attacks that can hurt other vampires... so he blocks all of them. Then he summons a silver spear and throws it at the werewolf, but the wolf dodges with his great speed. 

A rebel draws his tommy gun and empties it at the vampire. He had seen that the enemy's skin looks weak and wrinkled. The bullets go in. The Elders are not used to this! And their skin isn't as strong as that of any other vampire! 

"A vampire that can only die to bullets? That's... new!"

"They are not used to modern technology, but very much used to how the rest of the vampires fall. I say it makes sense." 

Then footsteps are heard from the other side. It's a recovered Embry, who telepathetically guides Leah to the mansion. 

"Hello, Finn. You must have a thousand questions."

"Where is Leah?" 

Meanwhile, on the top of the castle, Rey's remaining scavengers have rounded up the rest of the undead Nazis. 

"They are not even alive. They killed over three quarters of our forces. What should we do, Rey?" 

"They would destroy far more lives if we were not here. I am sorry. I just wanted to give you a purpose... happier lives. They robbed many of our friends of that. _Kill'em all._ " 

And every Nazi is gunned down. Rey is watching with genuine satisfaction. 

She is still not her grandfather, he acted like this to innocent people, not just these scumbags. She is still a Skywalker. Still a heroine. Still a Jedi.

The Sun rises as the massacre is over.

Leah has, meanwhile, entered the mansion, and both Finns come to greet her. 

Leah hugs her little pet first. "You did it! You are great!" She can't resist rubbing his back with her hands. 

Then she also embraces the former Stormtrooper.

"You came back for me! But why?" 

"Because you did so while I was alone and imprisoned. Because you are my best friend. Because we planned to come here anyway. Listen. You are a worthy General and Jedi. You matter. But, most importantly, you are _loved._ "

"You too, Leah. You too."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Honestly, I believe Kylo has every right to be bashed. But he is still not Hitler. Hitler is a category of his own. 
> 
> I believe that breath of toxic gas speaks to Hitler's personality a lot. (No, the one who would breathe bullshit would be Goebbels)
> 
> Yes, "A Stranger I Remain" is the theme of Leah in this fic. Yes, this fight is one big Jojo reference. No, I do not regret it. (Though it has original elements... 
> 
> Did you like the duel between the girls regardless? 
> 
> Also, did you like Rey's use of the Dark against Hitler?
> 
> I believe Armilla is only good as a villain. If she gets whitewashed, she is going to get a lot of well-deserved hate. To satisfy her fans, I had her go down with a smile.


	19. Hammertime

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Armilla is dead, Finn is free. 
> 
> Is it over? No, not at all. 
> 
> With her was also the mighty Hammer of Abyss. And he does not make empty threats.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This chapter is basically only the Siege of Cairo. Enjoy!

The next day, the Hammer can't find his co-general anywhere. Her mansion is in ruins, her soldiers all dead. She should have informed him. She would have informed him! 

He sends scouts everywhere. They do manage to find her remains. She has been broken like a crystal. The Hammer isn't known for his empathy. He had raided a village for fun. But seeing his co-general dead... 

He tries his best to hold his tears. He had never cried in his life. He saw it as a weakness. 

"No... no... Armilla... you were always my best friend..." 

A tear flows on his hard cheek. He holds what's left of her in his hands.

"Why did you have to die? What did they do to you? 

You were respectful to our troops. You were so, so kind to Finn. Always just wanting to have some fun... you even kissed him... and how did he repay you? He is probably celebrating your death right now.

Very well. I do not make empty threats and promises. I said I would attack a city if he left your warm embrace again. The ungrateful bastard left. And they hurt you. They killed you. 

I am going to destroy the capital. I am going to get revenge. 

Soon, they will see how it is... to lose people they care about!"

Meanwhile, Finn and Leah are in a hotel in Egypt and wrestling on their bed. Both, though, are fully clothed.

Leah has managed to get on top of Finn and rub his face with both of her hands. "I won, boy! Did you really expect to beat the woman who shattered the leg of one of the strongest vampires with a punch?"

Finn flips her and stands on top of her. "No gloating!"

"By the way, Finn, did Armilla actually kiss you?" 

"Yes. And it was cold."

"Let me give you a warmer one..."

Then Poe interrupts them. 

"Leah, I am also very glad to have my best friend back, but we are in trouble... our scouts saw an even bigger army coming towards Cairo itself..."

"Is it Agents?" 

"You wish it was..." 

Finn had done some sparring with Leah so he can't get rusty. Now, he is prepared to fight. 

Two hours later, Cairo is surrounded. The Hammer does not even ask for surrender. "I want you to kill every man, woman and child inside. Even their animals and plants. And then we will put salt here so nothing can grow. And if anyone survives, they will be executed." 

His demons growl in approval. 

"FOR THE GREATER GOOD!"

The monsters charge inside. The city has no walls, so the demons easily manage to get in... 

But Poe had his men prepared. 

Two Imps find an innocent woman walking alone and grab her arms. Then they start pulling her towards them. 

"She is mine!"

"Mine!"

"Mine!"

"Leave me alone!" 

As the Imps torture her, a bullet passes through the first one's head! 

The other turns and sees nothing. Then it also gets a headshot. 

Elsewhere, a vampire man kidnaps a couple. "Hmm... I will probably keep you" he tells the woman "for myself... don't worry, I will give your man to my sister."

At another point, Chebubs fly and bite or fire acid at civilians. Three men, a woman and a child die by them. Three policemen fire at the monsters. Many shots miss, and a fight starts! The first cop dies by acid, but the second one shoots a Chebub dead. 

The Chebub gets blown up, but the others try to surround the cops. 

At the same time, the Agents that also act as police emerge behind the two cops and shoot them in the back. Then they drop some flowers to greet their beloved intruders. 

Elsewhere, in the central square Zombie Privates round up entire families. There is also a Reaper, along with a Stalfos. 

"Sir, what should we do with these citizens?"

"Kill' em all." 

Then three blaster bolts are heard and hit the back of the Stalfos's head. The skeleton is destroyed. As the Zombie Privates turn, many of them are Force Pushed or shot. 

Finn had remembered that night in Jakku. When Kylo forced him to murder. When Eighty-Seven refused. When he left. Then, he could do but refuse to shoot. Now, he can stop this. 

"Pick someone your own size, corpses!" 

"It's you, Eighty-Seven. If you haven't escaped, they would not be in danger. You will kill them." The Reaper gloats. "You doomed this city, all because you didn't want Armilla's kindness. This is all your fault.

You can't stop us alone. Keep shooting the civilians, my servants. I will hold him off." 

The Reaper Force Pushes Finn backwards and then attacks with his scythe. Finn rolls away and evades the strike. Then he swings his blue saber, but he is parried. 

Nobody seems to be able to overpower the other. Until the Zombie Privates that are still alive start firing at the civilians. Even children start dying, screaming in fear and pain. 

Finn can't do nothing. He is distracted for two seconds, thinking about saving them... but the Reaper teleports behind him and slashes him in the back!

"Ugh... not again..." 

However, Finn is not alone. The Men of Crete intervene and shoot at the zombies, ambushing and killing plenty of them! 

A little girl is screaming for her dead parents to wake up. A father holds the body of his son, his eyes wet from the tears. Some people are not just sad. They are also angry. They start throwing stones at the zombies, who were killing them for what? To spite a prisoner, who would be blamed afterwards? 

These civilians didn't even know the reason! 

The zombies have to fight in two fronts now, losing four troops for every kill. A very pissed Finn manages to get the upper hand against the Reaper, slashing his right arm and Force Pushing him backwards. 

The Reaper teleports behind Finn and raises his scythe to cut off his head. But a stone strikes and distracts him. A quick spin later, and Finn cuts the creature in half with his saber. 

Two undead were enthusiastic Stormtroopers. "Traitor!" 

"You are a fraud!"

They fire at him, and he dodges with the Force. Then he fires back, putting the zombies out of their misery. "Consider this an act of mercy." 

Then he fires at the Zombie Privates. 

At another point of the city, Leah leads her werewolves against a large force of Moblins, Agents and even a few Rock Titans. Embry has recovered and is in werewolf form, trading blows with three Moblins at once. Leah herself uses her steel pipe and super speed to fight off a Rock Titan. 

Poe and his wingman are in the airport, where they have parked their ships, fighting through Agents. At this point, the Agents are no longer a threat to Poe. 

Q also covers them with his sniper rifle, even though he came late and the two had to fight the first defence line by themselves. He has invented some, but very few bombs for Poe... 

One of the guards manages to survive three blaster bolts, which hurt him like needles. The guard is pale with red eyes. 

"Q, I don't know where you are, but I am thanking you for this!" 

He throws a Garlic Bomb, Q's latest invention. The bloodsucker gets a direct hit and dies. Q does not respond, since he doesn't want to get spotted, instead he shoots two Agents who were going to sneak behind the two rebels. 

Even though the wingman is shot in the ribs, the two still manage to get on their ships with Q's help.

Finn and the rebels have managed to destroy all the zombies. The black General, angry that so many innocents have been slaughtered for no reason, rips the last zombie's head off with his bare hands. 

"It's ok. You are free." 

Those who lost loved ones stay and grieve, while the rebels and Finn himself defend them. The rebels are joined by some civilians who grab the guns of the dead bodies, ready for revenge. Finn tells them how to use their guns so they won't hit their allies by mistake. Though some already had a little practice or talent.

The rebels have been four times as many as before now. They are waiting for the second wave. 

Agents come and surround them all. "You have a terrorist among you!" one of them points at Finn. "Surrender!"

The new rebels refuse. "We saw him saving us and our families! He destroyed the leader of a batallion which would execute us for no reason!"

"It's necessary in case there are anarchists among you. It's his fault you are in this place. We told him we would blow up a city if he escaped and he escaped." 

Some rebels turn on Finn. Who immediately reasons with them. "You think destroying a city full of innocents just to spite one man is right? And I didn't even escape by myself, my friends saved me!" 

"He is right!" one of the Men of Crete adds. "And if he really did not care, why did he come to save you and ordered us to do so? And if the Agents are in the right, why do they support those who attacked you?" 

Now all civilians are firmly opposed to the Agents. And a fight starts! Finn is in the front lines, shooting with his blaster and never missing a shot, while the rebels and the Agents trade bullets. Due to their new allies, the rebels manage to outnumber the Agents by two to one. Three Agents get gunned down, but a Bazooker Boy tries to even the odds with a Poison Rocket. 

Finn's blaster stops the rocket in mid-air and explodes it, so it kills only one rebel who was close, charging with a steel pipe. If it found its mark, it would kill Finn and six more rebels at once. 

Though Finn notices that not all rebels are here. Indeed, the last flamethrower soldier is frying some Gibdos, while two guys with shotguns cover him from Chebubs and Agents. The three spot a Gibdo screaming and paralyzing a family. The Gibdo is about to eat them, but the flamethrower soldiers burns the Gibdo to a crisp.

However, the Hammer intervenes himself. He summons six Elite Stygians to lead some orcs and Gibdos in the city, as well as a colossal Chebub Queen. This big bug is the size of a TIE Fighter, spits acid very quickly and can give birth to other Chebubs. It's the Hammer's answer to Poe, who managed to destroy the Agents who were on rooftops before they put cannons to bombard civilians. 

Poe and his wingman are busy now trying to take down the big bug. The Hammer finally slams his colossal hammer to the ground, causing a gigantic earthquake and destroying twelve buildings at once!

Finally, he orders an all-out attack. All his monsters get in the city. Moblins, Stygians, Gibdos, Lizalfos, even a Hell Knight gets in.

However, the rebels have reinforcements too. Every single person who was in Alexandria, along with some new friends, storms in. And Toni, the man who trained Finn, leads them. His green saber helps him defeat the first Gibdo by an ambush. "Don't let these creatures harm anybody!" Toni orders as he Force Pushes seven Stygians at once! 

The Hell Knight, being even stronger than the Golden Moblin, is not afraid of Toni. He charges at him with his green laser blades, roaring. But the Jedi dodges or blocks the strikes and uses the Force to push the monster back. Then he dodges a green fireball.

The Agents are outmatched. Even if Finn was not there, they would still be losing, but now... 

They bring a Gibdo to paralyze the enemies, but the flamethrower soldier burns the Gibdo and many Agents, while the shotgunners do the rest. 

However, some Chebubs, a few orcs and three Elite Stygians emerge. 

Finn draws his lightsaber. "Come on!"

As he charges at the first Stygian, in another point of the city the werewolves are in the doghouse, since they fight the Hammer's Hellhounds, Lizalfos and Gibdos. A Stygian even slashes Leah's shoulder. 

However, Greyfur, leading a pack of all werewolves who stayed behind during the rescue, surrounds the monsters and the tables turn immediately.

Greyfur leaps in all fours and rips a Hellhound apart, then he lands multiple punches at a Gibdo and finally he tears the head of a Lesser Stygian off. However, a Lizalfos stabs him in the back. 

Leah immediately dashes forward and lands rapid punches to the lizardman before finishing him off with her wooden stake. Then she uses her steel pipe to defend herself from two Stygians, while Embry tackles a Lizalfos and dodges his fiery breath. Meanwhile, another werewolf kills an Imp, but three Moblins impale him with wooden swords and spears. A fourth one decapitates the wolf.

Leah manages to bash the heads of the Stygians with each other and then kick both to death. Then she turns into a wolf and attacks with the Three Sided Strike, killing three Hellhounds swiftly. Finally, she pounces at a Lizalfos who was gloating over two dead werewolves. 

A she-werewolf manages to dodge many hits from a Lizalfos and punch him in the face. But a Gibdo stuns her with its scream and the Lizalfos bites her throat. Then he kills her with fire. However, Greyfur kicks him in the ribs. The Lizalfos breathes fire and Greyfur with his super speed lures him into burning the Gibdo instead. Then he finishes the serpent off with a claw swipe. He feels like a hero for a moment. And then he haa to fight off an Imp.

Poe shoots at the Chebub Queen and has damaged her a lot. The monstrous insect spawns five Chebubs, but Poe's wingman shoots them all. The Chebub Queen shoots an acid ball and melts a wing off the wingman's ship. Then she fires more and more acid balls... but she has forgotten Poe and his proton torpedoes. All torpedoes strike home.

Unfortunately for Poe, the monster is still alive. And she also fires acid at him. He does a barrel roll and avoids it. Then he retaliates with his blasters. Even though he does deal damage, the nose of his ship is destroyed by a bolt of acid. 

The Queen, surrounded by the two, spawns more and more bugs to outnumber the enemies. In the end, the two pilots have to face fourteen Chebubs and their Queen. The wingman blows up three enemies, but loses another wing. "Poe! I have to land! My ship is in a critical condition! I am sorry!"

"Leave! I can handle them myself!" 

The wingman leaves for the airport. Four Chebubs chase him. They get above a building, where something invisible blows the three Chebubs to pieces. The fourth Chebub fires at the building and hits the unseen attacker, revealing Q. Who with his sniper rifle kills the last Chebub too. 

Poe already gets three hits. His X-Wing can't stand another one. He has to risk it. Everything or nothing. He fires more proton torpedoes and destroys all minor Chebubs. Then he aggressively fires all four of his blasters without caring if they overheat! 

And as they do overheat, the Chebub Queen is finally destroyed. But Poe has to land too, because his blasters will take time to cool down. 

As for BB-8, he spots a dead dog and some zombies feasting on it. The angry droid electrocutes all the zombies. Then he spots a Gibdo paralyzing a couple with its inhumane scream. The woman is pregnant and both people look terrified. BB-8 rolls towards the Gibdo. He torches it. The Gibdo screams again. But droids are not paralyzed by this. Rey knew why never to underestimate a droid. And now the Gibdo knows it the really hard way as it's torched again, to death this time.

Before the paralysis wears off, two more Gibdos emerge. BB-8 burns them too. Fourth one is another mummy that breathes toxic gas, but BB-8 doesn't breathe, so he powers through the attack and burns that mummy too. 

The couple manages to escape. 

Elsewhere, an old father is holding the dead body of his young daughter, shot by a Moblin Arrow. "Why? You didn't do anything to them!" 

An Orc ends his pain with his heavy axe. 

Elsewhere, the flamethrower soldier burns two Orcs. He sees Finn being overwhelmed by the three Elite Stygians who have ganged up on him. One of them is missing now a horn, but they still have the upper hand.

Finn barely blocks two simultaneous sword strikes, but gets kicked in the back. The flamethrower soldier wants to repay the favor for Finn saving him. And he fires his flamethrower at two of the three Elites. As they scream, burning, Finn guts the third, the one who had the one horn, and then with a slash he launches it high on the air. Then he lands three more hits in mid-air and cuts the Stygian to pieces. 

He sees his friend still burning the two remaining enemies. Finn rushes and shoots the one in the right in the back. The Elite Stygian barely has time to turn as the flamethrower turns it to ash. 

But the other sees an opening and hits the soldier with a wave of black ooze. The flamethrower overheats. The injured Stygian avoids a blaster bolt by Finn and leaps at the soldier, slashing him with both swords. 

A very pissed Finn pulls the injured Elite Stygian closer and rips his goat horn off, shoves it at its empty eye scoket and then decapitates it with his blue lightsaber.

Then he approaches the dying soldier. He wanted to Force Heal him so much... if only he could... his escape triggered this. His pride triggered this. Even though the real culprits are the demons, he couldn't help but blame himself for this. 

"Are... are you ok?" 

"I am... no need to save me... I want you to bury me with my flamethrower... to never forget me."

"Now?" 

"No. After the battle. Please... win this fight. Save this city. For me." 

Finn sheds some tears. "No... no... no... why?" 

But he doesn't have time to cry. Not while his other troops are in danger. Some orcs have managed to break the rebel lines and are about to kill the helpless civilians. 

Not on Finn's watch. He fights as he has never fought before. Orcs are known for being stronger than humans. More durable. But this time, no statistics matter. Every orc that stands in Finn's way dies. Blaster bolts, saber strikes, even the Force devastate the green creatures. 

"Monsters!" Finn screams as he cuts down another one. "These people never hurt you!"

Upon seeing Finn's rampage and how the tough orcs are slaughtered, the other monsters run away. Except for the zombies, who keep charging, but are repelled by the rebels.

However, an Orc Captain and a vampire are watching. 

"I will kill him. These are MY men!"

"Don't worry, we have reserves."

The Orc Captain picks up a stake. Then he stabs the vampire in the heart. He draws his sword and charges at Finn. His anger can be the only thing that can stop Finn right now... who has just killed the last orc.

Finn uses his dead friend's flamethrower to burn all zombies that threaten the other troopers. However, the Orc Captain approaches him with muredrous rage!

"You are going to pay for my men!" 

Finn gestures to the others to stay back. 

"He has empathy. He deserves to die with honor!" 

Finn draws his saber and charges at the orc, but he blocks the strike with his red shield and uses his crimson sword to give a jab at Finn. The black man shouts in pain, but parries the next jab and does a heavy strike with both hands. His blade of hard light cuts the sword in half and injures the orc's hand. 

But the Orc Captain is determined to win! He picks up a Morningstar of a dead Orc soldier and smashes Finn's right arm so hard that the saber is knocked out of his hands! Then he strikes him again in his chest. 

But Finn will not lose now! This orc is fighting for his troops, but he commanded them to kill civilians in the first place! And Finn also wants to avenge his troops. 

He pulls out the flamethrower and burns the Orc Captain to ash. 

"He died a warrior. He was cremated as such."

Meanwhile, Toni has been stabbed by the Hell Knight. However, he attempts a last attack. He parries the finishing blow, lands a riposte to the demon's stomach and as the Knight is finally staggered, Toni cuts off his head. He finds a healing potion in the dead body. 

Then he gets hit by a giant dark beam. 

"You did well with my bodyguard. Now it's time to face the boss!"

Toni finds himself dragged in Limbo. The Hammer prepares the weapon he is known for. And he smashes it on the ground, creating an earthquake and gaps on the ground. Toni uses the Force to jump really high and avoid them. Then he lifts some big rocks and sends them at the Hammer, who turns into a big ball of demolition and dodges them. Then he strikes Toni and sends him flying some meters!

Toni struggles to get up and sees a Shadow Ball coming towards him. He stops it in mid-air with the Force! "Phew... I can do this..." 

However, the Hammer knows how to combine his attacks. He uses his mallet and strikes the Shadow Ball, making it go twice as fast as before. And even though Toni is better prepared, he still gets hit. 

The Hammer charges at Toni to flatten him. But the Jedi is faster than the overweight demon and dodges the heavy smash. Then he manages to slash through the purple crystal skin of the giant. He does it again! And once more! But the fourth time the demon dodges and jumps high. 

Toni jumps backwards and avoids getting stomped, but still gets struck by a powerful shockwave.

As he gets up, the Hammer fires powerful purple crystals. Toni deflects them all with his lightsaber and the Force, but the big demon smashes him with his hammer. Then he fires one more crystal and impales Toni. "Ha ha ha! You put up a good fight, but it's time to end this!"

Outside the Limbo, BB-8 encounters a Gun Minion killing a kitten. Enraged, the droid electrocutes the other machine. But the Gun Minion fires its blaster and damages BB-8. 

However, before BB-8 becomes scrap, Poe spots them and fires his blaster five times. The Gun Minion is destroyed. 

Little Finn has stayed behind in the hotel. Agents storm it and shoot the receptionist. However, Little Finn sees them and quickly runs at the rebel that is also behind. The rebel immediately calls Leah and sends an SOS. Then she fires her revolver at the Agents who are climbing the stairs. Since she stands still and has the high ground, she manages to take out the first wave.

Then their leader appears. It's a Black Moblin who has also a pistol. He takes more than six bullets and shoots the rebel girl dead. However, Little Finn bites the Moblin as soon as he is about to climb the stairs. The Moblin falls down. 

"I will kill you, you little..." 

Leah has got the message and went back to the hotel. 

Now she is right behind the black Moblin. She grabs the back of his head and smashes his head through the wall multiple times. Only then can she relax.

Meanwhile, the civilians are being evacuated. Finn is heavily wounded and tired, he tries his best to cover the evacuation. A big part of the city is desrtoyed. Over a hundred civilians have lost their lives because of the invading demons. Without counting the dead rebels, who are at least twenty. 

From the Elite Stygians, one died by Embry and Greyfur ambushing it, the second one because Poe landed on top of it. The second Stygian did manage to escape, but Q killed it with his Drill Blaster. 

The last one is trying to interrupt the evacuation. Finn, even in this weakened state, fights back. He quickly gets slashed in the ribs, but still refuses to give up. The Men of Crete, inspired by the General and seeing he is in danger, fire in unison at the Stygian's back. The demon is serverly injured by all these bullets, but still alive. It turns and blocks the next barrage with its swords. Then it knocks a rebel unconscious with a wave of black ooze and kills three with its swords... though it gets a couple more shots. Finally, a rebel stabs it with his knife and they kill each other with their blades.

Meanwhile, the Hammer and Toni are still fighting. The former gets struck by the Jedi's saber and roars. Then he summons zombie clowns who throw knives at Toni. The Jedi stops the knives with the Force and sends them back. However, some clowns survive and two try to clobber him with chicken legs. Toni swings his lightsaber, cutting through chicken leg and clown, but has to duck to avoid the attack of the other bozo. He turns around and slices that clown in half too. 

But the Hammer hops back in and creates a shockwave. Toni jumps high to avoid it and faces a barrage of crystals. Sadly for him, he can't dodge or stop all of them because he is in mid-air and can't fly. A crystal stabs him and knocks him down. The Hammer turns into a ball and charges fast, but Toni Force Pushes him into a wall which has the sublimal message "SUBMIT". 

As the wall breaks, the Hammer is furious. "I will smash you!"

Embry had told him everything via his mind link with Leah. Toni knows exactly how to respond. "That's why you are known as stronger than Armilla... she only tried to smash my apprentice!" 

"Don't speak of her!" A really pissed Hammer uses his strongest attack. Several crystal hammers appear out of thin air. And the Hammer fires them in multiple directions. They are so powerful and heavy that Toni only manages to slow one down. He easily avoids it, but another strikes home and wounds him badly. A second one knocks him down for the count! 

Toni struggles to get up and sees two Hammers charging with their colossal mallets. The demon, who is still one, strikes Toni again and knocks him out! 

Then he summons some Imps. "Dispose of the garbage." 

He teleports back to Cairo and demolishes a building by turning into a wrecking ball. "Just in time. I did not expect that my men would be losing this battle."

He sees the rebel army, led by Finn, retreating. Good. They don't have much energy left. With a swing of his hammer he destroys another building and then another one. A Man of Crete actually tries to hold him off with his shotgun. "Stay back! I will..."

"No! Run with us!" 

"I will not!" He fires an entire round of shotgun shells at the big demon as Finn screams at him to run. The shotgun is just strong enough to affect the Hammer's crystal skin. The others manage to run. Finn goes back to save him, along with three more. They are too late. 

The Hammer retaliates by smashing the shotgunner. "Grrr.... that hurt me."

The others flee, with Finn throwing a detonator to slow the Hammer down. The Hammer decides to change course rather than power through. 

Meanwhile, as the Imps approach Toni, the Force Ghost of a Jedi appears. It's Luke Skywalker. The man who inspired Toni and many others. He heals Toni.

"Your life is not over yet. I will give you a second chance. These people... they rely on you."

Aa Toni gets up, Luke vanishes. He can't stay in Hell for too long, only in Limbo can he enter at all. And now his time expires. Toni is by himself, and draws his saber to fight against the Imps. These demons are strong enough to threaten even vampires and werewolves with their fireballs, but no match for an actual Jedi. As the last one falls, Toni uses the Force for something he never tried before. He loses many Midichlorians from this, but finally succeeds... to get out of Limbo without using a portal. 

Panting, he is hunting the Hammer in the streets of Cairo. Orcs get in the way, but they don't end well. Soon, he is joined by some Children of the Moon and they find the Hammer. 

The giant's size makes the place too narrow for him. He can't swing his hammer easily. Which allows Toni to knock him down with the Force.

The Hammer has only one move that actually benefits from tight spaces... his wrecking ball! With one roll, he will strike Toni and the werewolves as well! They can't escape from this! 

Poe, Q, Leah and Embry can't help, because they defend civilians and their hotel from the remaining minions of the demon general. The Hammer was leading over two thousand troops, and even though most were dead, some keep fighting. 

Hours have passed. Families mourn their loved ones they lost. Some families were completely wiped out. 

And now, the one responsible for this massacre is charging. He enhances his Wrecking Ball move with Darkness. He knows he will not miss! 

Time slows down for Toni. The Force is guiding his movements, it allows him to see the enemy's attack. And Toni, who spent the night before he came here training once more, uses a slightly uncommon technique. He throws his lightsaber like a boomerang with all his strength. 

It strikes the wrecking ball, passes through the dark barrier and manages to cut through... splitting the ball open and cutting the Hammer in half!

Or it would, had the Hammer been smaller in size. However, he is now with a very deep and wide wound in his belly. He can barely stand up. "You... you miserable human! I won't go down without fighting!" He charges one last time, ready to crush Toni with his hammer.

However, the lightsaber returns and strikes him again, cutting him in half for real this time. 

Twenty minutes later, the remains of the mighty horde led by Armilla and the Hammer are completely exterminated. But at what cost? 

This victory is very bitter. Yes, new people joined the cause of the Resistance. Yes, both Armilla and the Hammer are dead. But how many rebels and civilians had to be lost for this to be done?

The financial damage was an afterthought. However, it was still too big to be ignored. Families are homeless now, all because the demons wanted to spite one person. They used cities as nothing but a bargaining chip. 

All rebels want the demons dead at this moment. And the cherry on the top is how Al Astor, one hour later, presents this. 

"The dark-skinned terrorist, known as Finn, escaped. Because of his escape, an entire city was destroyed in his rampage. He reunited with the other terrorists and they slaughtered the innocent people of Cairo."

Then he shows the families mourning their loved ones, not because he cares, but to point out how eeeevil Finn and Leah and the rebels are. And this made many people who didn't know the truth hate the rebels.

However, inside Cairo, nobody is with Al anymore. They have seen both the government and the rebels in action. And they are now firmly opposed to the demons and vampires. 

With the exception of the Egyptian Coven, under Benjamin's control, and their underlings, the demonic influence inside Egypt has dropped.

After they all return from a funeral, where Finn personally buried the soldier that saved his life, honoring his wish, with the flamethrower, and the ashes of the honorable Orc Captain, while the Hammer's body was dragged out of the city, Poe speaks to Finn and Leah. 

"It's over. It's finally over. Egypt is free."

"Not yet." Leah responds. "There is one more thing to take care of. The Egyptian Coven." 

"And Benjamin." Finn adds. He speaks the name with hatred, since it reminds him of another murderer. "Their leader. As long as he survives... Egypt can't live."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Please leave me feedback!
> 
> Opinions about Toni and the Hammer? 
> 
> Or Finn being back in action?


	20. Tomb raiding

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Armilla and the Hammer have fallen. But there is still one major threat. The fearsome Egyptian Coven. Led by one of the most powerful vampires in history.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Rant warning: Really, there are people who believe showing being nice to people who are nice to you as ok as sexist, especially if you say abuse apologists are disgusting. 
> 
> (Han's voice) You are all wonderful human beings.
> 
> I insist that trusting Kylo was the dumbest thing Rey ever did because he kept hurting her before Exegol.

Three days have passed. 

Leah and Poe told Finn how they fought through vampires and other monsters to save him. 

"What happened to the Master Sergeant? He was one of our best men!"

"He never made it. He sacrificed himself in a battle against a fearsome Hell Knight. Thankfully we got the beast."

"Did you really lose all these soldiers... For me?"

"For you and Egypt. In the siege, your deeds inspired multiple people. Now, they see you as a hero." Leah replies

"And," Poe adds "don't add that you are not! It's not the time for fake humilities. Do you think I am an idiot? That I promote people to Generals because they are my best friends? "

"No. We would be doomed on Exegol if nepotism was corrupting our leadership."

"By the way, Finn, how is your training?" 

"Damn! I am late! Toni is going to give me the metal bar test again!"

A bit later, Finn uses his saber to cut the thrown metal bar to five pieces easily. 

"Almost six! Nice... I believe you are making progress. Though there are students who were more powerful than you. Rey, Anakin..." 

"Will I ever become as strong as you, Master? I want to become more powerful. To be able to defeat demons like the Hammer, just like you."

"Many people value power more than anything. Tell me, why do you truly desire power?" 

"To protect those who don't have it." 

"A noble cause, but beware. You are still a human, like me. You are not perfect, but you can get better. Beware, for the road to Hell is paved with good intentions."

"I believe tearing Hell apart covers both of these things."

"Some people do bad things for the Greater Good. There is a reason the Resistance never uses superweapons or takes children. Not everything is justified for the cause."

"You act like I did something wrong."

"No, not at all. But I have to warn you, otherwise you can make mistakes in the future. Now, I have a lesson for you before we go for Benjamin. Can you lift rocks?" 

"Yes."

He manages to lift a relatively big one with some effort. Toni crosses his arms. "You are getting better. Now, give me your blaster." 

Finn does so. Toni aims at a wall. "Deflect the blaster bolt with the Force." 

Toni fires and Finn tries to deflect the bolt. He fails. 

"But... it's plasma!"

"Plasma is still matter! Focus!"

Finn is more focused on his second attempt. He fails again. Third time is also not so good, but the fourth time Finn manages to change the bolt's course a little. 

"Think of it like bullets! You do this well with bullets!" 

Finn, now more confident, completely and easily succeeds the next time! "Indeed, Master! It's just like bullets!" 

"And even lighter! Come on, one more time!"

Meanwhile, Poe is playing chess with Q. He has won four times in a row, but the fifth one ends in Q's favor. 

"What happened, Poe? Tired?" 

"Well, even Victor Checkmate can get weary." 

"Anything important?" 

"I am leading a group of technicians now. We fixed the two X-Wings and are making one more, there is a new pilot in our ranks."

"Great." 

Finn keeps training. Now he is facing the training sphere. And, with his eyes blindfolded, he manages to sense all the movements of the droid and beat it effortlessly. 

"Is that all?" 

"Yeah... in six bars, you will fight two droids simultaneously. Now, one more thing before our campaign. You can't shield your thoughts. You can perfectly resist any mind control attempt, but otherwise your mind is vulnerable. Let's try to improve on that."

Again, the first time Toni invades Finn's mind is successful. However, the following Mind Trick is not. 

"This mind has the potential for a mind shield! Let's keep it up. At this moment, you could beat Kylo on Starkiller! Even if he was healthy and tried his best!"

"Don't remind me of that!"

Meanwhile, the person who did beat Kylo on Starkiller with the help of Finn and Chewbacca uses some drug dealers for practice on her abilities. She actually splits one in two with the Force. "You will no longer ruin the lives of children!"

Being her strong, independent, but also proud self again, she told her remaining scavengers to leave and live a happy life, just as she promised them. She didn't want to lose more of her troops. 

She also had baited a gang of rapists yesterday with provocative clothes. And then she used her saber to kill them all. Even Finn would not hold back on these scumbags. But she has also the blood of Palpatine. The rapists never stood a chance to even survive. 

After Rey kills all the drug dealers, she thinks of how much she was walking and running those last days. But then she thinks that this will be worth it once she finds Finn. Then she will pretend her feet are sore every single time just for him to rub them. 

One way or another, she will have him back. 

However, a Force Ghost appears. It's Ben. 

"Rey!"

"Asshole!"

"Why so hostile? I want to warn you. Right now, you have become... more brutal, you know. You use Force Lightning, you rip people apart with the Force, you feel great about the people you killed."

"They were murderers and abusers. What do you want me to do? Force Heal their wounds and kiss them in the lips? I am not the idiot you met the last time. Never was. It was the influence of the Corruption!"

"It was indeed. I told you. But I know more about the Corruption than you. Yeah, because I was a horrible person. Corruption can come in many ways, some conflicting with others. Some evildoers are conscious and self-serving, like Palpatine. Others are completely delusional. Some are just savages, acting on instinct. 

Just because you escaped one way of corruption, it doesn't mean you are safe from other ways. I am here to tell you to stop. Stop being so... cruel! You enjoy killing right now!"

"Shut up, Kylo Ren."

Silence. 

"All you did in life was to make people suffer. You murdered and tortured and manipulated and betrayed. Multiple times. Don't try to act like you are the voice of reason! You are in no place to call out anyone else but Sheev Palpatine! 

You degraded me and called me a nobody. Do you know what my biggest mistake was? To keep trusting you. You almost got away with everything you did! If you want forgiveness, ask from your family. It's your damn fault they are all dead. You kept Snoke's cruel practices. Yet, I trusted you instead of my friends, who defended my sorry skin from you! I trusted you, who ordered an entire village slaughtered, instead of Finn, who was forced into your atrocity and still refused to contribute! 

I will no longer trust you, even if it's the moral choice! Go away, Ben. Go away, you hypocrite, and never come back! I hate you and I hate what I was on Exegol!"

She turns her back on him. 

"But... you know I understand you better than anyone! Finn could not understand you!" 

"Because the person who values you for your power is the one who understands you, right? The one who matters for you the most? Why didn't you trust Snoke over me, then? Leave me alone, Ben. I am going to keep killing abusers and murderers. I am going to stop the degradation of others. And I am going to trust people who were always trying to protect me without wanting to gain. Leave." She doesn't even try to look at him. 

Ben sighs and leaves. "You will regret it! If not for me, you would be dead!"

"If not for you, many innocent people and families would be alive."

But Ben no longer is there or hears her.

Rey sighs and goes onwards. 

She decides to pilot the Falcon and head south. She stops in Albania to take a small break and help people who are there. 

Meanwhile, in Egypt, Finn finally manages to shield a mild attempt at his mind. 

In another room, Leah trains herself against four of her packmates. She wants to improve her techniques. Now she managed to upgrade her Three-Sided Strike to Four-Sided Strike. If she had the Force or elemental magic, she could probably beat a Hell Knight or a Golden Moblin... if. Still, this ability is something.

Leah trusts Stormwolf's new forces. 

Stormwolf. That's how Finn and Leah named their new force. They agreed that it sounded good, though it also combined their pasts. They considered themselves the soul of the team, even though Poe did the actual leading because he was the best tactician. 

Leah knows that nobody is stronger than those who fight for simple but necessary things like food, education and, most of all, freedom. Unlike the rest of her old pack and most vampires, she learned never to underestimate humanity. 

Right before the attack, Finn makes a speech. 

"Do you know why we make an army? Do you know what's the true purpose of power? No, it's not an ultimate goal! The enemy wants to make the strong pray on the weak. They believe that anyone with no power is worthless. 

We? We believe that power is not a purpose. It's merely a tool to protect the powerless. To fight off evil! To serve justice!"

Nothing else was needed, it would become too pompous. And unnessessary pompousness usually hides something.

Soon, they find out where the Egyptian Coven is. Inside the pyramids. 

"Of all the monuments they could use, they made their hideout inside the most obvious place! But why?" 

"Because pyramids are a tomb. And a labyrinth. It makes this place hard for intruders, has traps and mummies, and also has coffins for the vampires." 

Outside the pyramids are Grave Wardens with shovels. They charge at the warriors at grear numbers. The rebels who have sickles are a new addition and charge from both sides, along with the werewolves. In the center, the Men of Crete who are still alive have machine guns and fire them, filling the undead with lead. The zombies are fast and many, but over half of them don't manage anything. However, the shovels do injure some rebels and even decapitate one. 

Toni Force Heals two injured soldiers and uses his lightsaber to destroy at least ten Grave Wardens. Then some zombies with swords and shields come too. The swords are wooden and broken, the shields are wooden too, small and round. 

"They are over five hundred!"

"This is all their cannon fodder probably!" 

Poe and his two wingmen fire at the zombies with their X-Wings. BB-8 is inside Poe's X-Wing. Their first dive destroys fifty zombies at once. However, the pyramid draws blaster cannons. They fire at the three ships, forcing them on the defensive. "We have to destroy them!" Poe orders. "Otherwise, the ground forces are in trouble!" 

Said ground forces are already in trouble. One of the zombies mutates into a giant mass of slime and Darkness. An issue known as Malice. Nobody had any idea about this monster. With each swipe, it sends five troops flying. Bullets do little damage to this abomination. Soon it has killed or maimed twenty troops, five of whom were werewolves. 

Toni, sensing the great presence of the Dark Side inside this thing, jumps towards it and slashes it with his saber three times. Then he dodges its swipes. The monster is strong, but not skilled, and the swipes aren't fast enough for a trained Jedi. So, Toni rolls and dodges on time and counters with his green lightsaber until the creature drops dead. 

"Seems like this was all brawn! Advance!" 

Little Finn is with Q, pointing targets at him. The undead, being mindless zombies and not vampires, aren't smart enough to dodge or strong enough to tank the shots. However, some Zombie Commandos emerge with chainguns and start firing. Little Finn points at them as top priority.

Finn and Leah are in the front lines, beating any monster coming at them. Leah performs the Four Sided Strike at four Grave Wardens and defeats them instantly, while Finn lifts a chunk of the ground with the Force right under a zombie and throws both at one of the cannons. He narrowly misses.

Then he draws his blaster and shoots at a Zombie Commando until the undead drops down lifeless.

Five more minutes pass. Most of the zombies are defeated and Poe destroys the last cannon. He and his wingmen did it with no casualties. However, suddenly feathers fill the sky and kill all the zombies remaining. Then a giant creature with eagle feathers, a beautiful woman's head and a body of a lioness flies towards them. Poe fires at her, but she blocks with her bare hands and knocks the ship down with a single swipe.

Poe manages to get out of his damaged ship, but the right hand of the best grabs him. 

Finn rushes towards her. "Let Poe go, you monster!" 

But she stops him by cupping his face and touching it with her claws. "Not so fast, human. I am the Sphinx, and this man looks delicious. If you want him, you have to solve my riddle."

After rubbing Finn's face, she does the same to Poe's. 

"And if you fail, I keep this man and might give you to some hungry vampire. I heard some of the Pharaoh's maids want you for a party..." 

Finn is about to throw up. "Tell me the riddle."

"What walks on four in the morning, two in the midday and three at night?" 

Finn is no expert in the mythology of Earth and canes aren't too common in his Galaxy. After all, few people grew too old there. And technology was too advanced.

He is sweating, and not because the desert is extremely hot. He does not know the answer. 

Luckily, Toni is Greek and also a Jedi. He has read a lot of mythology. And, even if the Sphinx does not allow him to help, he can still use the Force to tell the answer! 

The Sphinx summons a hourglass. "I eat him if the time runs out! Tell me, what is the answer?" 

"It's the human."

"How? But you weren't so certain! You seemed to..."

"I bluffed. To make you feel sure you would win!"

The Sphinx drops Poe and leaves, frustrated. "You motherfucker."

Toni and Q leave a chuckle, murmuring something about a second Oedipus. 

The way is open to the great Pyramid of Cheops.

Inside the pyramid, in a really dark room, Benjamin and Tia get a report from a Kobold. "My masters, intruders have invaded the pyramid!" 

"The Egyptian Coven has been enlarged tenfold since I took over. Activate all the traps and inform all the other vampires. With the Volturi, the Romanians and those self-righteous Cullens and their dogs gone, our coven became the strongest one again. We will not be stopped by some puny humans. 

Amun thought he could use me. Nobody can make me submit. I cannot be beaten!"

Right off the bat, the heroes face a boulder at the first ramp. Toni uses the Force to send it backwards and destroy a wall. Then he charges forward and slashes two vampires who are patrolling. 

Benjamin didn't want to change people just to use them for their powers. He wanted to distance himself from Amun. Instead, he only got volunteers from the Agents changed, a form of promotion. One of these vampires has also developed a gift, to turn into a bat. Along with firing pink laser beams from his eyes. 

This vampire is known as Aneb. Aneb fires his laser beams, but Toni blocks them with his lightsaber... However, the beams are too strong and still knock him down. Then Aneb turns into a bat and flies to drink his blood. But Leah pounces on him and manages to injure him with a claw swipe. Aneb turns back into a vampire and puts the she-wolf into a chokehold, but Toni stakes him with his lightsaber.

Later, they all avoid an arrow trap... except for one rebel, who is badly wounded and poisoned. But Toni uses his Force Heal to remove the poison and close the wounds. A vampire tries to sneak on him, but Finn senses him with the Force and Poe does him in with a Garlic Bomb. 

Q uses his Drill Blaster to make a shortcut through a weak wall, but a Gibdo screams and paralyzes him. Thankfully, BB-8 saves him from certain death with his torch. 

Little Finn finds a key in a hole only he can reach and helps Leah unlock a locked door. There she avoids some spike traps and defeats a few Egyptian zombies. She finds a sign that is in the language of the ancient Egyptians. She fails to understand it.

At one point it shows the Egyptian god Amun. The vampire with the same name posed as him, but he didn't have the power of a god. He was as much of a threat as Supreme Leader Snoke.

Meanwhile, her pet mouse finds ways to help with his small size. He scouts ahead, manages to smell some filthy ReDead patrolling and also activates an arrow trap, but is too short to get hit. He made the trap waste arrows. He goes back and warns the Alpha she-wolf of the hazards. Prepared, Leah passes through the disabled arrow trap and ambushes the undead. She kills all of them with relative ease. Elsewhere, a Silver Bullet passes through two werewolves and kills them. Toni throws the saber like a boomerang and cuts the gunman in half easily. But the gunman survives. His red eyes gaze at Toni. The burn of the saber doesn't allow the vampire to heal, but he can still live! "Die, Jedi!" 

Toni disarms him with the Force and stakes his heart. He even stops a barrage of Silver Arrows coming from a wall. They definitely expected a lot of werewolves for this much silver! 

Finn and Poe are in a wide open room. As they enter, the doors close around them. 

"I played enough games to know where this is going..."

"Ok, Ben, bring in the wave!"

Immediately, puppets come from the ceiling and attack the duo. The two fight back-to-back, shooting at the puppets with everything they've got. 

"The one who will destroy the most puppets wins!"

"I refuse, Finn. Except if you are for a flying contest later."

"Son of a..."

"Hey, no insults for Shara Bey!" 

"Sorry." Finn responds as he cuts a puppet in half. 

"You are forgiven!" Poe replies as he guns down another marionette.

The two keep shooting the evil puppets. Then the Kobold who was informing Benjamin and Tia enters the fight with a blaster. Poe decides to deal with him, while Finn Force Pushes three marionettes backwards. Then he blocks a slash from the right and retaliates with two of his own.

As Stormwolf struggles to destroy the Egyptian Coven, Rey has her own troubles. A vampire has chosen her as his next victim. He ambushes her in a small street and pins her into a wall. 

"You look delicious, sweetheart. What's your name?"

"Rey Skywalker."

The vampire is not fazed. "Oh, the champion of the Great One? I heard he is finished using you."

"I am not a champion of someone who can't see a difference between things and people. I am only the champion of myself." 

The vampire punches her in the gut. However, Rey was always a strong woman. Even in spite of the machinations of two Great Evils. She pushes the vampire back with the Force and draws her yellow lightsaber. The vampire sees he can't win without his gift. He makes multiple copies of himself. "Come on, can you fight six vampires at once?"

Rey immediately charges with her lightsaber and attacks quickly and precisely. The vampire and his doubles dodge every single attack with their superhuman speed... almost. One of the doubles gets destroyed by a single slash and vanishes into thin air. 

Vampires have no shadow or smell, so Rey can't find out the real one with ordinary means. Soon, she gets punched by multiple sides. There is one thing she can trust now. The Force. She lets the Force guide her movements. She has done plenty of training, and has managed to cut a metal bar to more than seven pieces.

She focuses and Force Pushes everyone away. Then she casts Force Lightning and destroys two of the clones. The Force can sense even dead creatures. So, she manages to pinpoint the real one and unleashes a flurry of lightsaber strikes. The vampire uses his speed to dodge the slashes, but his right hand is chopped off and the wound is burning badly. The two clones charge from both sides and kick Rey who is in the middle. Then they grab her arms and the original vampire tries to bite her. He gets kicked in the jaw and Rey uses more Lightning to fry the clones. 

However, she is open for a kick in the gut, which the vampire happily delivers and follows with a left hook. Then he tries a right one by instinct... but his right hand is gone. Rey finds an opening and stakes him. 

"Phew. Gifted vampires are dangerous..." 

She has parked the Falcon outside of the capital and goes back there to get a nice sleep. But she spots two thieves trying to steal it. After cursing herself for not bringing Chewbacca with her, the woman Mind Tricks the thieves into shooting each other. 

"Pathetic. At least they won't try to kill anyone else."

Meanwhile, Toni slaughters some Gibdos and three vampires. He manages to get close to the royal couple. But they have a dangerous bodyguard. He is also a vampire, and turned by Benjamin. He is a mountain of muscle and uses a big chain. His name is Dozer.

Dozer swings his chain to tie Toni up, but the Jedi cuts part of it with his saber. The chain is still long enough to wrap his legs and knock him down. Toni tries to get up, but the bulky vampire punches him really hard and knocks him out of the room!

A saber strike manages little more than a cut in the guard's arm. The beast uppercuts Toni and sends him to the ceiling. His bones start cracking, he drops to the floor, injured. Dozer charges like a wild bull, but Toni uses the Force to push him back. Then he dashes, the Force helping his movements, and lands a flurry of slashes to the guard. The vampire is extremely durable, even for his species, and manages to survive all these powerful blows. However, the wounds don't heal instantly. 

"That hurt! I will tear you apart!" Dozer swipes his chain again and again. Toni gets struck once more, but uses the Force to wrap the chain around the beast's neck. However, Dozer just laughs. "Oh, you are going to choke me? How unfortunate... vampires don't need to breathe..." 

Toni miscalculated. But he changes tactics. He keeps doing this, knowing it's not effective, and thrusts his lightsaber straight through the vampire's heart!

Dozer stares at Toni shocked. Then he falls down and shatters like glass! Toni stands in front of the pieces. Then the rest of the rebels come. Both Finns, Leah, Poe, Q, Embry and Greyfur. Poe is injured by the Kobolt, though he managed to kill him along with several puppets with his blaster. 

Greyfur also is heavily wounded by vampiric guards. 

Toni Force Heals everyone and they all get inside the room. They see big statues, coffins and even two thrones. On these two thrones sit the true rulers of Egypt. Benjamin and Tia. 

The former stands up from his throne. "Well, well, well. Food just came to us. You must be Toni. You slaughtered many legendary monsters, including the Hammer and the Tower. Remarkable. 

I am also impressed that you got it past my bodyguard. Dozer was a good friend. But there is a reason I am considered... one of the strongest vampires in existence." 

Toni charges at Benjamin, but the vampire dodges the initial staking attempt and punches the Jedi through a wall. "Nice try, human." 

Leah dashes gallantly, stake at hand, and goes for Benjamin's heart. The Pharaoh snaps his fingers and Tia dashes faster than the human eye can see. She manages to interrupt the she-werewolf by decking her in the face. Then Benjamin summons the remaining members of his coven. Three maidservants. 

As Leah throws a punch, Tia catches it and knees her in the stomach before kicking her in the face. The maids use their brooms to attack the fighters. Greyfur manages to throw one into a wall and charges at Benjamin, but the vampire sighs and blasts him with a stream of fire. Toni leaps for another attack, but Benjamin dodges and summons some rocks. Then he throws them at Toni, but he deflects them all with the Force.

Then he uses the Force again and brings a statue down to the vampire's head... but the bloodsucker uses the power of the wind to throw the statue again and smash it to pieces. "You fool! The Force is worthless against my gift!" 

Toni wanted the opening. He Force Pushes Benjamin straight at his throne and then puts the throne on the Pharaoh. But the vampire smashes through the throne and charges again, his fangs bared.

Finn manages to fight off a maid and watches. "So, this is Benjamin's terrifying gift... it's worse than what I thought." 

But the maid leaps behind him and pins him down.

Leah blocks three attacks from Tia and retaliates with a rapid flurry of punches at full speed. "ORA ORA ORA ORA ORA!" Tia is knocked back and bleeding. As she gets up, her wounds start healing. She finds a sliver sickle and charges again. The first swing goes for the head, but Leah ducks. However, she gets a really painful jab at her shoulder. 

Little Finn bites the vampire's heels. He even climbs at her leg and starts chewing it. Tia initially ignores him as she keeps swinging at Leah, forcing her on the defensive, until she starts feeling pain and is forced to drop the sickle.

Then Leah punches her hard in the face, breaking her nose. Tia gives her a strong left hook, but another bite makes her yell in pain. That's enough. The vampire manages to grab Little Finn and free her leg. Then she looks at the mouse like she is a hungry cat. 

She holds him by the tail with one hand and starts spinning him with extreme speed. After she pauses, she gives a jab at his belly with her finger. As she keeps toying with the mouse, Leah charges to save her pet.

Tia starts violently shaking the mouse. Leah goes for a punch, but a kick in thr face stops her. "Not so fast!

Then the vampire throws Little Finn upwards and he lands on both of her hands. "You won't have an easy death. You are a parasite." 

And she starts squeezing, trying to crush the rodent. 

Little Finn tries his best to breathe, his bones start getting crushed. His helpless squeaks are met with Tia's cold look. 

However, something taps Tia's shoulder. She turns and is met with a cold, murderous look. Leah starts punching her continuously, rapidly, throwing hook after hook in Tia's face. Tia fails to react. The last and strongest punch manages to pierce through Tia's scull!

The fist gets close to the brain. But it fails to go further. Tia drops Little Finn by instinct, she is helpless to react!

Leah takes her wolf form and starts savagely mauling her. She already manages to rip chunks of her off.

Meanwhile, Benjamin reveals the full extent of his power. He throws a giant rock statue at Toni, but the Jedi sends it back. However, Benjamin strikes him with streams of fire from both sides. Then he pushes him back with a stream of wind. 

Toni sees his friends. The Vampire Maids are defeated by the werewolves and rebels, while Little Finn can't even move and Tia is choking Leah, while healing herself from her severe wounds. Leah is in her human form and hears her pet's weak squeaks. 

Then she glares at Tia. The vampire's red eyes are full of rage, which turns into sheer horror as Leah stakes her. Then she rips her head off as a wolf.

Meanwhile, Benjamin is torturing Toni. He has filled his lungs with water. Toni can't even breathe properly.

"So feeble, false Jedi. I am no ordinary vampire. You don't have above ten minutes of living! How does it feel... to breathe water? Your suffering is my thrill!" 

Toni replies by charging as fast as he can and slashing Benjamin square in the chest. Then he stabs him through it. 

However...

The stab misses Banjamin's heart and he makes a karate chop and breaks Toni's right arm! "Ha ha ha! Your luck has run out!"

Toni gets kicked in the face. He knows he can no longer win. He turns to the dying Little Finn... and Force Heals him. Then he does one last Force Push and destroys the columns of the room, as well as the coffins. Benjamin smirks and drinks blood. 

Toni turns to Finn, who is watching, too horrified to do anything. "Finn... everyone... he... he is too powerful for you! RUN!" 

Benjamin drinks Toni's blood... and then he sees Leah over the body of his mate. His happiness turns to pure hate and rage. "You! You killed my mate! DIE!"

Leah is an extremely fast werewolf. She is also a very experienced vampire hunter, one of the most competent in the world. Recently, she managed to defeat the mighty Vampire Lady, Armilla. 

Nothing could prepare her for the wrath of Benjamin. He charges at her and starts savagely kicking her to death as if she was a puppy. 

Finn still is too horrified... but he meekly pleads Benjamin to stop. 

"You will not tell me what to do!" 

He uses his strongest stream of wind and knocks Leah unconscious! Her bones are almost all broken, her organs injured. 

"I am going to drink a lot of blood tonight." 

However, Finn's sadness turns to rage. 

_"I told you to stop, Ben."_

"Make me... oh, and I did figure out why you call me Ben. I am not that backstabbing coward. The one who lost to a girl with no training."

"Totally without my help."

"I can split that spineless killer in two... with my bare hands!" 

Finn is just as afraid as in Starkiller Base. But he wants to fight. He lost a mentor in front of his eyes again. A woman he loved lost consciousness because of a murderer, again. He failed to protect them the first time, on Starkiller.

_Not this time._

As Benjamin charges to drink Leah's blood, he is surprised to see Finn suddenly getting in his way. Finn holds Leah's body in his arms, begging her to say something. Damn. If only he could heal others... if only his pride didn't... and now Toni can no longer teach him. "Leah! Leah!" 

He is going to defend her with his life. Even if she falls to the Corruption and goes after Ben instead. 

He sees Ben, with a familiar, murderous look in his eyes. He raises his saber, just like on Starkiller. He has nothing to lose. He will fight for his loved ones. No matter the cost! 

Ben yells at him, surprised at the Traitor's audacity to get between him and his prey.

"This woman's life... IT BELONGS TO ME!"

Finn is afraid. Afraid of facing a monster with Kylo's name, but even more powerful. But even more afraid of losing more people he loves. He hopes he can avenge Toni. He can defend Leah. 

" _Come and get it._ "

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Agree with Rey's rant? Or disagree because if the context?
> 
> Opinions about the Consumed, the Sphinx, Benjamin and Tia?
> 
> Next chapter will be one of my favorites! Stay tuned for the ultimate battle! The rematch we should have got in TROS, now with a tougher bad guy! 
> 
> **Finn vs Ben!**


	21. Finn vs Ben

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The final battle of this arc! Self-explanatory!

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> After this, I am taking a break! 
> 
> You see, exams are no laughing matter and I will have to focus on them.
> 
> But at least I will offer some climax. Being still pissed about TROS (repeat with me: Trusting a white murdering abuser over a genuinely benevolent and good black person is NOT THE SPIRIT OF A JEDI), I believe this chapter will make me relax and help me further focus on my exams. Psychology is an important factor. 
> 
> And, btw, justice for George Floyd! I am not in movements, but BLM are in the right at the moment and I support them. Even though this story is mostly escapism, I will abandon any subltelty and say this: Racism is evil and the prime way of brainwashing the masses!

[Border of Life](https://youtu.be/Zis2TtxdFjQ)

Benjamin charges with his jaws open at Finn. He has killed the master Jedi, the one who defeated the Tower and the Hammer! His apprentice won't be much trouble.

Or so he thought. The lightsaber standing in his way nearly stabs him. Finn gets on the offensive, unleashing a flurry of slashes and thrusts that force Benjamin on the defensive. The sparkly vampire sees that Finn has an opening in the right shoulder and swing his fist there.

Bad idea. Finn, with the help of the Force swings his lightsaber and strikes his hand. Then he kicks him in the jaw. Benjamin is surprised to actually flinch from this and to see Finn not getting hurt. Enraged, he throws multiple punches, but Finn dodges all of them.

Benjamin realizes he has to fight properly. "Get out of my way, human!"

He fires a gust of wind and hits Finn square in the chest, sending him flying backwards. Finn gets up only to be hit by a stream of water.

Benjamin, sure of having dealt with the annoying traitorous Stormtrooper, dashes close to Leah and goes to drink her blood.

However, multiple blaster bolts hit him in many parts of his body. He turns and sees Finn standing up again. Finn gestures to the others not to interfere.

"We can't just sit and do nothing! You know how bad it is, to be forced into doing nothing!"

"There are going to be some enemies to take care of! Ben is MINE!"

Ben finds an opening and throws a stream of red fire. Finn barely dodges and charges with his saber, but the vampire summons a lot of rocks and fires them at Finn, knowing it will be hard for him to dodge. However, Finn uses the Force to deflect many of the rocks and his lightsaber to cut through one of them.

Then he charges with his lightsaber, screaming, and swings it aggressively. Ben dodges the attacks and kicks Finn from the side. Then he punches him in the gut and sends him flying with a rock in point blank range.

Finally, he starts removing air from Finn's lungs. "Ha ha ha... your bitch will learn what it means to lose your mate. I will make her suffer!"

He can't do it all at once, he takes time. And Finn manages to Force Push him back. Then he takes deep breaths and does what he did when he first defected. He runs away.

Benjamin has been injured enough. His eyes turn blacker. He ignores Leah and everyone else.

"I will make sure you are dead!"

The vampire starts chasing the Padawan. He momentarily loses sight of Finn. "Where are you, human? Come and fight me!" 

He senses the ground and also uses his vampiric smell to track him down. He manages to find him and creates a stone wall in front of him. The dark-skinned man uses his lightsaber to cut the wall in half. He also jumps over a bottomless pit made by the red-eyed vampire. 

However, Ben uses his superhuman speed to catch up and fire more rock chunks. Finn sends them back with the Force, but Benjamin creates a big barrier of water and uses it as a blade, destroying all rocks easily.

Then he uses the liquid mass as an attack, but Finn turns and dodges. Benjamin follows, fires a stream of ferocious flames, but Finn changes corridor and avoids it again.

Ben bares his teeth. He hisses. "I will find you, human. I will find you and I will kill you."

Meanwhile, Leah is still unconscious. Little Finn and the Children of the Moon stay to defend her with their lives, while the others hunt down dirty cops guarding Benjamin and some Gibdos. Poe uses a Garlic Bomb to exterminate a Vampire Maid who had charged with her broom to beat him up. Then he teams up with BB-8 to defeat a concubine who was dangerously advancing at him. Q uses his Drill Blaster to fire through three Agents and his sniper rifle to take out a Gibdo.

A Vampire Infantryman finds the Children of the Moon and fights them. He stabs Embry with his iron spear and goes for a second stab, but Embry punches him hard in the face and bites his arm.

The Infantryman kicks him in the jaw and lands a jab with his spear. Then he dodges some claw swipes and lands another jab. An ordinary vampire, especially one of the now endangered sparkly variety, would be gloating right now and asking for last words. The Infantryman, being trained by Armilla herself, doesn't and attacks again. However, the wolf catches the spear and pushes him back, allowing Greyfur to attack from behind and break the bloodsucker's neck.

Benjamin manages to catch up to Finn... only for the black human to activate an arrow trap and force Benjamin to create a stone wall, which also protects him from Finn's blaster bolts. Then Benjamin hurls the stones, but Finn deflects them...

However, Ben does to him what he did to Toni. He fills his lungs with water. Finn was too shocked then to act... but he could still think about something...

He Force Pushes Ben back with all his might and uses the Force to remove the water from his lungs. Then he starts coughing. The Pharaoh gets up while Finn is still coughing water. The loss of his mate has made him serious and he charges. However, the punch he gives allows Finn to spit out all the water faster. He throws a blade of fire, but Finn dodges doing a limbo and fires at the ceiling.

"You missed."

"I don't miss."

The ceiling above Benjamin crumbles and falls on top of him. Finn charges with his lightsaber, but Benjamin escapes easily.

A very worried Finn starts looking for the monster.

As he does, Poe fires his blaster at a Gibdo and wounds it. The mummy screams and paralyzes him, but BB-8 finishes the job. However, he is shot by an Agent. The Agent dodges the spark of the droid and kicks him. However, Poe's paralysis wears off...

And he literally curbstomps the Agent in seconds.

Q uses his cloak to sneak past an arrow trap and his sniper rifle to take out patrolling Agents. However, a vampire manages to sneak behind him and bite him. She couldn't see him, but could sense him. The brunette bloodsucker tries to choke Q to death.

Only the might of the Drill Blaster saves the sniper from certain demise. The woman takes it in point blank range and it pireces her diamond skin. She drops dead shortly after. Q leaves a sigh of relief.

Meanwhile, Finn tries to sense Ben with the Force. "Where are you, creature? Come and fight me!"

Benjamin's fist emerges through a wall and the vampire ambushes the human. He grabs the back of his head and slams his face repeatedly into a wall.

"Worthless human! You are inferior to me in every way! You are a mortal! Barely a Force user! Just a nobody! A traitor! A pathetic weakling who will die for some bitch he doesn't even know!" With each sentence he slams Finn until the wall gets a hole.

Finn's face is bloody, but he still does not give up. He manages to break free, duck a punch and land a jab at the mouth of the sparkly tyrant. "So?"

"I am the strongest of all immortals! A god among gods! I am not going to lose to food!"

The vampire fires a stream of water and knocks Finn back. Then he starts chasing him. Finn has military training and the Force, but he still doesn't manage to outrun the immortal. He avoids streams of fire and water and retaliates with his blaster, but fails to land a single hit.

Benjamin creates a stone wall to slow Finn down, but the black man cuts it in half. However, another wall blocks his way. It's made of water and can't be cut. Finn isn't strong enough to split it with the Force. He tries to Force Push Benjamin, but the bloodsucker gets up immediately and charges again. Then, with a stream of air, he knocks Finn into the wall.

He proceeds to summon Earth to trap Finn's legs with stone, making him unable to move, and stops a blaster bolt with a small fiery barrier.

"Surrender, Eighty-Seven! I am Benjamin! I am an immortal! I am superior!"

"I do not surrender."

"Ha ha ha... you are going to regret it." Benjamin goes for a bite, but he remembers the lightsaber. Not wanting to die like Bella, he keeps his distance and his hands start catching fire.

His vampiric pride settles in. "Any last words?"

Nothing.

Though Benjamin can hear Finn murmuring about how he doesn't want to get burned and how the vampire's flames scare him.

He uses all of his power. He had a lot of experience with fire, even as a human. With his flames, he managed to burn Amun to a crisp effortlessly. And his mate, too. If he could kill Amun, Kebi and Toni so easily, this human will be no different! He is just a mere Stormtrooper! Not even a full Jedi!

However, he still gave Benjamin the fight of his eternal life. The bloodsucker casts his biggest fireball. He charges it, using his full power. He does not care if Finn keeps refusing to die, this strike can kill even a Silver Moblin instantly!

The mighty sphere of flames is sent towards Finn, threatening to turn him into ash!

[Sono Chi No Sadame](https://youtu.be/jXYN_M2RDLQ)

As the colossal fireball comes towards Finn, the Padawan with no master feels the Force around him. He is not worried. He closes his eyes. He lets the Force guide his movements.

He has made peace with his decision.

The fireball gets closer and closer. Finn can already feel the heat.

But Toni will help him one more time! Finn remembers how plasma can be deflected using the Force. Blaster bolts are plasma...

And then, what Finn was planning all along happens! He uses the Force and sends the fireball back to the vampire... who is in a corridor too tight to sidestep!

Ben does not care. With haste, he creates a shield of water. He is sure it can extinquish any fire... however, it's a small, rushed shield against a colossal mass of fire. And the shield is vaporized!

The powerful vampire knew his kind was really flammable. When he had enough of Amun's manipulation, he put that to good use. However, now he learns it even better.

"WHAT? HOW? I AM BENJAMIN! I AM A GOD AMONG GODS! THIS CANNOT BE!"

"I wanted to do this for years, _Ben._ "

The ex-Stormtrooper draws his lightsaber, melting the rocks holding his legs and stepping forward. Ben also makes one step, but struggles to move.

Finn simply crosses his arms. Daring Ben to attack.

"What's the matter? I am here! Come and get me!"

Benjamin is desperate. "I... will..."

_"Burn."_

Finn turns his back, now sure of himself. That was not a small fire. Ben tries, desperately, to attack from behind, but fails to even perform the attack.

And so passes the Egyptian coven, the oldest coven in the world, along with Benjamin, the strongest vampire of his kind who ever existed. He took one of the best Force-Sensitive Earthlings with him. But he paid the price.

There is one reason he lost.

One simple reason.

He really pissed Finn off.

The Jedi rushes towards Leah's place. He has no time to celebrate. Leah is still in danger and the healer is dead! Time slows down around him as he rushes.

He finds a still uncosncious Leah, her pet and packmates around her. Ready to protect her at all costs.

He holds her body in his arms. "Leah, Toni... I have avenged you."

He finally finds some time to mourn everyone he lost. Around him, the wolfpack is completely silent.

Finn destroyed Ben. His delusions of being a failure are over. He got his revenge.

But at what cost?

He lost people he loved. Can revenge truly fix that? Can Finn truly be happy?

The Stormwolf members leave the pyramid.

Egypt is free, but at a horrible cost.

Then Leah's eyes open.

"How..." Finn thinks. "How didn't I notice with the Force?"

Leah voice is weary. "Did we win?"

[Hopes and Dreams](https://youtu.be/tz82xbLvK_k)

Later that night, the two are sleeping in the hotel, smiling. They know they are finally safe. They know they are finally free. Leah is snoring again, dreaming of the world Stormwolf is helping create. A world where the humans will live peacefully, without any danger from vampires or each other. A world not ruled by hate, where personality matters more than power and color.

Will a world without the Corruption be possible?

Finn is having another dream. The one he had while Armilla was still holding him. He is again on Kef Bir. Rey has pushed him for that sleazy Kylo again. They kiss again in front of him. Kylo taunts him again.

"You have no place in all of this. Trust is created by taking, Eighty-Seven. A true Jedi does not value personality. A true Jedi values color and power.

You are pathetic. A dog following a nobody. You will never be at our level."

Finn remembers this from his previous nightmare.

However, he didn't have to beat Ben to prove himself better. Because he has defeated an enemy who shared the name and attitude, but was far more dangerous. Kylo had to be magically connected with a woman to get her. Finn had to simply be himself to earn friends. Finn lived and is now in the path of a Jedi. Ben died and has been judged for his actions.

Finn draws a torch out of nowhere and thrusts it straight at Kylo, setting him on fire.

"Indeed. I will not be in your level. I am only going upwards!"

He leaves the Dyad behind, not even looking back. Rey maybe was the one who deserved the most sympathy, being literally forced to be with Kylo and his selfishness everywhere. Well, some consequences might make her snap out of this.

Rey does nothing to save Kylo from getting burned.

She, instead, weakly tries to reach Finn.

She has been praised. She has been abused. She has been loved. She has been hated. She has been used. But getting ignored... that was something she could never stand. Living alone in the desert has scarred her for life. Seeing the person who trusted her the most leave... it showed her something was wrong.

"No... not you... not you..." were her words as Finn left Kef Bir.

Finn was done risking his life for her. He carved his own path. Now that he defeated Ben twice, he can focus on something else. Where he came from. Where all these Stormtroopers came from. He has to do this to atone for killing plenty defending himself and others. He can't do this alone.

No problem.

He has friends. He has family. He is loved.

And they will do this together.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Please leave me feedback!
> 
> Remember, it doesn't matter what you are but what you do! 
> 
> Had to post this because it feels really, really cathartic! Like my song choices? 
> 
> Opinions about Benjamin? And Finn himself?
> 
> Short as a chapter, but still important! That was the end of the Egypt Arc! After my very long break, the next one will begin! 
> 
> END OF PART 2


	22. Arabian Frights and Journey to the East

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> One month later, the Stormwolf Force has become stronger. However, they can't always be fighting. As Finn has to find where he came from, another group of heroes is in serious trouble.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A bridge chapter with reunions! 
> 
> Missed me?

A month has passed since the fall of the Egyptian Coven. A lot have changed since then. The once proud and menacing vampires are now terrified of Finn and Leah. 

The month went relatively calm. Though Finn did instigate a revolution in Kongo when he saw some slavers forcing people to mine for diamonds with their bare hands and heads. This caused the wrath of a powerful slaver ring, which eventually attacked Stormwolf openly while the rebels were relaxing. 

It was a hard battle, but it led to a massive defeat of the slavers, who also blew their cover to the government. The slaver leader had a magical chain that forced anyone wrapped to obey him, but Finn cut both the slaver and the chain to pieces. The slaver remnants fled to the south, where they got squashed immediately by Agents, who proceeded to take all the credit for the elimination of the slavers. 

Afterwards, Finn and Leah split up. Leah led her pack north and killed Ebony Dark'ness Dementia Raven Way, a goth vampire who wanted to kill everyone who disagreed with her, calling them preps and flamers. She also worshipped the Dark One. However, Leah had more experience against worse monsters. It went nearly flawlessly. In the end, Leah killed Ebony with her stake, which the vampire called a steak for some reason. And Leah became the savior of the English language for that.

Meanwhile, Finn and Poe, and only the two, returned to the Galaxy, where everyone assumed they were lost. Rose immediately went to embrace Finn, but he stopped her. She called him out for neglecting his responsibilities at rebuilding the Galaxy and selfishly leaving his home and Rey out of spite. Only to be called out in return for always treating him as something other than a human being. Finn explained that he ignited a rebellion in another Galaxy and even defeated a tyrant by himself and was not slacking off.

Poe was his witness, and also explained that he, too, was there and helped the Rebellion. The planet was Earth, he said.

"Earth? Do you know Rey is looking for you? She also left the Galaxy!" 

"Funny, I thought she ignored my existence!" Finn had responded. Then he used his authority as General for once to benefit himself, ordering Rose to apologize for the awful way of treating him before. Rose, having matured, immediately did so.

Then Finn went to Jannah to help with the families. Jannah discovered that she was, in fact, Lando's daughter and her entire squad also found facts about their families. Two of the ex-troopers were actually from noble families. Of course, there were problems. A family which turned out to willingly had sold their child to the First Order was imprisoned for treachery.

Finn also showed Jannah his skills he earned on Earth, while she showed him how she improved with the bow. She had also found Finn's family after a couple of more days, along with him. 

Finn never felt happier in his life, helping people who were wronged by everyone find their home, their families, love. He was always ashamed of killing so many and only justified himself by pointing out he was defending himself and others.

He also feared he didn't contribute as much as he should. He was always competent, though overshadowed by the even more powerful Rey. 

On Exegol he got to lead revolting Stormtroopers. Against the Sith Troopers, who were all fanatical cultists. They had far more training than the regular Troopers and enjoyed killing. They were also led by someone who was a General before Finn was even _born._ Finn wanted so much to win another duel. However, the Sith Troopers, despite being the best troops of Palpatine and killing many Resistance combatants, didn't even manage to wound Finn. 

Though he killed thousands that day, he did not feel guilty, because he saved billions. He saw this day as a redemption, since he led the slaves he once killed to defend himself to freedom and finally showed that he was a big deal. Now, with his program of bringing the Troopers back to their families and Jannah's help, he believes he can keep redeeming himself for his past mistakes.

Back to Earth, three days later, Rey reached Egypt and was surprised to find no opposition. She only got there late because she was busy slaughtering abusive pimps and slave traders. Once she hanged a slaver who was whipping his slaves from his intestines.

Soon she got to Cairo. Her upbringing helped her easily survive the desert.

She introduced herself as Rey, the last Jedi. To her pleasant surprise, she was informed that she wasn't. There were two Jedi who saved the city from certain destruction. A brave master, and his apprentice. The master passed away fighting a false god, but the apprentice avenged his master and lived.

Rey asked how these two Jedi were in appearance. She was more than pleased to learn who the apprentice, the one who survived, was. She immediately asked for his location... only to be informed that he left to do something extremely important. 

"Oh Force, am I going to chase after him now? Well, now I understand why he was chasing after me." 

The Children of the Moon mostly relaxed and trained, and sometimes hunted vampires. Armilla had become a heroine for the vampires, replacing Bella, because she managed to be a threat to the vampire hunters. However, after the fall of her, the Hammer and the Egyptian Coven, nobody underestimated Stormwolf. 

Elsewhere, an evil wizard had possessed his mortal enemy and was about to cause big havok with his nukes, and the wise leader of his opposition had been replaced by a replica, a figurehead serving the Black Legion. Fortunately, Pan, Kitty, Nicky, Dex, Saber, Tammy and Roosia defeated both evils after a long struggle.

A month has passed after the fall of the Egyptian Coven. Finn returns to Earth, along with Poe, telling them they have another Rebellion to lead. Jannah wanted to come, but Finn told her she was the person he trusted the most to work in his place if he was missing.

Rey went to a space adventure. A space station full of water plans to flood Earth. She knows water isn't her strongest point, but she didn't have a challenge outside of her Galaxy, except for the Hatemonger. She is currently approaching the station. 

Meanwhile, Leah, Q and the Stormwolf Force that is not returing are in Arabia. Apparently, an evil cult tries to achieve great power by awakening a malicious genie. Little do they know, that Commander Saber's forces are also after the cult to destroy them.

However, the cult is very well-armed and they have even planes and cannons! The planes fire with machine guns at the enemies, and those that don't do so are bombers. The werewolves and rebels are cornered, the first enemy attack kills about twenty people. But then Commander Saber arrives and uses his all-powerful rocket launcher. The Devastator.

Its rockets are twice as powerful as those of a regular rocket launcher, both at damage and radius. These were the pride and joy of the Terran Empire which once ruled Earth. And in practice it destroys even the big and tough bombers with only one hit. Dex, too, arrives with his Assault Rifle and guns down some enemy scouts.

"Long time no see, Clearwater!"

"Missed you too, Dex!" 

Nicky shotguns some enemy riflemen, while Kitty uses her super strength and lifts a big boulder. She uses it to block some bullets of a fighter plane and throws it with precision, destroying the fighter. Roosia uses her rocket launcher and blows up another plane. However, the rebels are bombarded by the artillery. 

Leah turns into her wolf form. "Embry, Greyfur, we and the Shockhogs will go forward and destroy the artillery! The others take on the infantry!"

"Roger!" 

The Shockhogs are armored motorcycles that are very fast and have a mounted Shockbolt, which fires a continuous stream of electricity. Their drivers zap anything in their way. However, the biggest show of lightning had just begun, as thunderbolts drop from the sky and even a rocket made of electricity is launched. It destroys two fighter planes simultaneously! Then, powerful streams of electricity are sent towards the rest of the bombers and fighters and shoot many of them down. 

The cultists start panicking. 

Their leader is not afraid. "Did we find the genie's lamp?" 

"Soon. We will free the Genie from the prison! The Genie will be so grateful!" 

"And we will wish for riches and power and immortality. Nobody will stop us!" 

Leah manages to get to the first cannon and maul it with her teeth. Soon, the rest catch up to her.

Meanwhile, the one behind the lightning show reveals himself. It's Pan Hancock... and he has regained most of his powers. With Thunderstorm he brings all the remaining enemy planes down. Every enemy is terrified and some start running away.

The leader finally finds the lamp and is about to rub it.

Pan is not afraid. "I have faced worse. I am not afraid of a genie! I can take him down!"

"There is a big problem for you, Pan..." Kitty remarks as the genie emerges, having learned about his big weakness. 

"The Genie... is not a he."

Indeed, this spirit is one of a giant, green-skinned woman with straight black hair and dark red eyes. She is dressed as a belly dancer and has long, black nails. Her body is quite muscular.

"What do you wish?" 

"I wish you destroy my enemies!"

"So you wished, so shall it be!" 

The Genie creates a storm out of nowhere. Commander Saber uses his plasma rifle to easily gun down the enemy cult leader just as the Children of the Moon and the Shockhogs destroy the artillery. The proud Resistance leader fires the Devastator at the Genie, but she blocks the rocket with her bare hands and fires magic missiles.

Saber blocks them with his Ki Blast, but it gets smashed by the sheer power of the attack. Dex fires a grenade at the cultists and blows some of then up. However, he gets shot in the chest. However, reinforcements arrive quickly. Five Resistance Medium Tanks led by Johnny exterminate the rest of the cultists quickly.

Johnny casts an Earthquake and defeats what's left. Then he sends meteors of solid lava. However, the djinn blocks them all with a magical shield.

Then Pan raises his sword and fires a massive Sunlight Beam at the distracted enemy. The holy beam actually injures her.

She leaves a growl and creates many magical curved Arabian swords. Then she hurls them at the warriors and knocks Nicky out. 

"She is too powerful!" 

"Yes" Pan replies "but she is still a genie. She is bound to her lamb! Bound to w..."

At that exact moment, the genie snatches the young man up and starts squeezing him. He finds himself unable to keep talking.

"Hush, cutie. After I crush the rest, I will keep you for myself... I can't make others happy if I am miserable!"

Leah dashes for the lamp, but the genie fires a magic bolt at her, knocking her on her back. Then Johnny attacks with multiple powerful rocks, but the spirit creates even bigger ones. 

However, it's a distraction as Q fires at the lamp with his sniper rifle. The genie catches the bullet effortlessly with her free hand and summons a cyclone of sand at the sniper's direction.

Then she surrounds the lamp with a wall of stone and fires beams from her eyes. Pan is still struggling in her tight grip, barely able to breathe, but he does not get crushed because he is just durable enough to survive a direct hit by a cruiser just as strong as a Star Destroyer. He found it firsthand, though he was far stronger then and lost his memory for months. 

Commander Saber also blesses his durability when the eye beams hit him and knock him down. He gets up and fires with his Devastator, smashing the rocky barrier. 

"Grrr... I will make you wish you were never born!"

"That's it!" Saber shouts. Then magic missiles come at him. "I wish these missiles healed their targets instead!"

The genie lady grants her wish and turns the missiles back to herself, healing her wound Pan made. "Nice try, but wishes have loopholes!" 

Greyfur is knocked unconscious shortly after. Leah wishes reinforcements would come...

"So you wished, so shall it be!" 

Reinforcements do come... humanoid sand monsters, fighting for the djinn.

Genies can't directly kill, but these minions can. However, some warriors are way beyond them. Leah turns into her wolf form and shows her improved secret technique, the Six-Sided Strike. Six monsters get destroyed by that.

However, there are still many left. Kitty uses her Feral Claws and destroys several. However, she barely dodges the djinn's eye beams and gets hit by a sand monster. Greyfur smashes two sand monsters together and then lunges at a third one. The tanks fire at the creatures and the genie. 

"Ha ha ha!" The genie taunts. "You are no match for me, the mighty Wishmonger!" 

Kitty wishes for Wishmonger to be vulnerable to any attack. Sadly for Wishmonger, she has to comply.

So, she gets struck by multiple shots at once. However, she still refuses to let go of the man she is holding. Seeing he is still conscious, she creates a gigantic storm of sand and then uses her free hand to cup his face. "Most people would be unconscious right now. You are impressively durable, human." She uses her nails to poke his cheeks and is about to poke his neck... 

However, the reinforcements Leah actually wished for come. An X-Wing fires proton torpedoes and weakens Wishmonger a lot. She fires her beams at it, but the ship dodges all of them with little to no effort! 

Then a big transport ship, armed, comes and blasts all the sand monsters to oblivion.

Wishmonger is surprised, but she regains her composure and hurls a big boulder at the transport ship. However, something slowed the rock down and the blasters obliterated it. 

Then the door opens... to reveal many former Stormtroopers, armed with blasters. Led by...

"Finn?" Leah asks.

"YES! I AM!"

The she-wolf's heart warms. He came back for all of them. His ship fires at the genie, injuring her... until she stops taking damage. 

"You didn't say I had to be vulnerable forever! Even bound to wishes, I have enough intelligence to know that there is always a loophole! Now, I am going to make you all blobs, aware of your situation! You will wish you could ever die!" Wishmonger gloats.

Proton torpedoes come at her, but she blocks them with ease. Then she turns to Pan and caresses his cheek with a nail, just enough so he can feel it. She proceeds to summon meteors from the sky to wound many Resistance members. However, Finn jumps out of the ship, his lightsaber drawn, and uses the Force to deflect some of them. He also cuts one to pieces with his lightsaber.

Then Kitty makes her wish. "I wish you would put the man you are holding down, without changing his gender or form and in one piece!" 

Wishmonger can't kill, so she has to do exactly as Kitty wished. So, she lets Pan go with a huff. 

Johnny wishes the genie punches herself in the face with both hands. Pan starts crawling. He is already weakened by Wishmonger's grip and can't run for now. However, he slowly but surely moves towards his allies.

Kitty stated her wish almost perfectly. Wishmonger was going to turn Pan into plasticine. However, she still can find a loophole. After all, Kitty didn't wish for her not to touch the young man again. 

The genie extends her hand to grab him again... however, something pulls him out of her reach, though not by too much. As if Pan suddenly had a speed boost.

The green spirit tries to catch the man again... but an unseen force keeps pulling him away from her! She realizes Finn is the one using the Force to help his ally... 

Too late.

Finn did the distraction. Poe flies behind the genie and strikes her with proton torpedoes. At the same time, Johnny uses a vine to grab the lamp of the spirit and Kitty is about to smash it. 

"Wait..." the Genie begs "don't! Don't you want to wish for something? Good luck? Eternal love? Eternal life? Oh right! Some of you must have lost your families! Finn? Leah? Wouldn't you like a happy childhood? To be loved? Just spare me!"

"We are loved." Leah responds. "We made a real family. Our lives failed to break me, or Finn." 

"But..."

"I wish to have another wish!"

"You did the extra one."

"I wish for five more."

"You... you can't exceed the limit!"

Kitty punches the lamp hard and cracks it.

Wishmonger screams in pain.

"PLEASE! STOP! MERCY! ANYTHING!"

Finn uses the Force to finally bring Pan close to the lamp. Wishmonger tries to fry the Padawan with a beam from both hands, but Kitty strikes the lamp even harder.

"NO! STOP! STOOOOOOOP!"

Kitty crosses her arms. "I will stop. Right now, in fact."

Wishmonger leaves a sigh of relief. Was Kitty sparing her? Good. However, her relief turns to horror when she sees why Kitty spared her. Because Pan has recovered a little and raised his yellow lightsaber at the lamp.

Then he cuts it in half.

Wishmonger barely manages to react in shock when she starts imploding. The lamp was the only way for her to live. Without it she starts getting crushed... and then she blows up to nothingness!

"This is why I spared you" Kitty remarks. "To make sure he killed you!"

As night falls, the Resistance celebrates. In spite of their many wounds, they had just destroyed an entire cult and a very powerful Dark entity.

"Finn, who are your new troops?" 

"Former Stormtroopers whom I offered the chance to right the wrongs of the Multiverse." 

"We are all volunteers. He just inspired us to defect."

"Half of us had to stay at our own Galaxy to defend it from potential threats. We chose the most willing for the job." 

Pan is talking to Kitty. "Why did you insist on me killing her?" 

"Well," she removes his shirt, revealing red marks in his waist "she wasn't toying with me for half the fight. You deserved to finish her off."

"Though you deserve a lot of credit too. You did get to damage the lamp enough to force her to beg for mercy. And Johnny, who managed to get it. And Finn, who saved my life... or, more precisely, my dignity. Basically, everyone helped! All hail the victorious Resistance!" 

Everyone who survived bangs glasses. 

Then Finn tells the heroes about how Poe, the Stormtroopers and he were attacked by space pirates in the way to Earth. The pirates had a frigate and many fighter ships. Poe single-handedly defeated most ships and disabled the shields of the frigate, while the Stormtroopers took out the rest with the transport's guns. Finn took action last, when the frigate launched torpedoes. He shot all of them and the bridge with accuracy.

"We also found a lot of information about our families. Many of the Troopers had lost them, but some are safely reunited. Jannah is Lando's daughter. The ex-trooper in the right of me is actually a Dodonna. The girl in my right is a descendant of a noble Aldreaan family, the Aureas. She is the last of her family because only her mother escaped the wrath of the Death Star."

"I always hated Starkiller Base, even before I learned that."

The dark-skinned General keeps talking about the families of the Troopers. They are glad to be recognized as sapient beings. Now they were their own people, growing different habits. 

Finn finally talks about his own ancestry. 

"I am also a Calrissian. Lando's wife, Sanna Starros, had the Force to a degree, though not in the level of the Skywalkers and Palpatines. That was why I had the Force but bloomed a bit late. Probably. I also improved my skills as a Jedi Padawan."

Leah interrupts. "You don't have to tell me! I saw the way you carried Pan to us. Right now, that's reduntant."

Then it's Pan's turn to speak. He talks about Heaven and how his friends and he managed to free two Shrines, the Shrine of Forest and the Shrine of Air. Pan, along with the spirit of a heroic Air Wizard, confronted one of the four Elemental Titans and barely, just barely, defeated him.

It was Stratos, the mighty Titan of Air. He tells the Stormwolf Force that the Resistance remnants will go to Japan to investigate a Gate of Souls. Maybe they can go to Heaven again that way.

Leah says that they will also go to Japan then. She heard the Yokai who have allied with the corrupt government are many and extremely powerful. She plans to sabotage them. 

"That's not a bad idea." Poe responds. "We don't even know the true power of the enemy. Only that even the way we are now, they are too strong." 

"We know a lot" Johnny responds. "This enemy is beyond any of you. They have monsters that can destroy continents all by themselves. What we all faced today is nothing compared to the truly big heads of the government. If we want to stand a chance, we have to weaken them, deprive them of allies. They have some. The Tikis. They can control minds. The Yokai. Which we will face soon enough. And plenty of others."

"Wait" Kitty asks "Weren't you the heroes that wiped out the Egyptian Coven?" 

"Yes. However, we lost many brave men and women."

"And they had direct help from the government." 

"We really need to go to Japan with you" Dex proposes. "We will not only look for the gate, but divert attention as well from you." 

"Actually... " Poe points out "... we will do the divertion. After all, you are going to Heaven."

Meanwhile, Rey is on the space station, Aquaria. She uses her blaster to shoot some strange creatures resembling flying guts. After she defeats all of them, she takes a moment to witness her surroundings. Rey loves water. Due to the way she was raised, she struggled to find the tiniest bit of water everywhere. 

She couldn't admire water on Kef Bir because she was busy fighting her dark self and Kylo. However, now she sees as much as she wants. She can't help but admire it. A shame that she has to destroy the entire thing to save other planets.

As she passes through some tubes, she sees an orange kitten with an angry face and tries to pass from her. To her surprise, the humanoid kitten grabs her foot and starts slamming her to the ground brutally. Her back starts hurting a lot. The kitten spins her in the air and then hurls her backwards. She lands on a wall of a giant tube, nearly cracking it. 

"Ow. This happens when I judge because of looks. You pissed me off, kitten!" She Force Chokes the alien to death. 

"Serves you right." 

She keeps advancing and jumps above lethal spike traps, while avoiding streams of electricity. She also takes out more flying guts with her blaster. 

"This is the most insane thing I have ever seen. And I have seen vampires that sparkle."

Rey advances, encounters two more humanoid kittens, but defeats them with her lightsaber and the Force. 

As she hacks a door open, she sees Ben Solo waiting for her in a room. "Hello, my darling... miss me?" 

"You... how are you alive?" 

"The Force wanted us together. It wanted me to have a happy ending. Come to me, dear... we will stop this together."

Rey uses the Force and sees that he is a vision. Part of her wanted Ben to come to life and redeem himself... however, she remembered the last time, how the Dark was taking over her through him. 

He was always like temptation. Looked really good outside, and always spoke very convincingly, casting a facade of being great. However, on the inside he was a backstabbing monster. Up until Exegol. 

Maybe that's why the Underworld wanted so much to glorify him. The Underworld would also support Palpatine, but he was becoming way too dangerous and self-serving, to the point of being a threat.

Ben keeps talking. "Come with me, Rey. You are my life. I am yours. We exist for each other. Together, we will make a generation of new Jedi!" 

Rey steps forward. She thinks about it. However, ultimately, she refuses. "I have a life without you. The world does not revolve around you and won't bend backwards to excuse you and ignore the people who actually deserve respect!" 

"How dare you! We..."

"That's why the actual Ben redeemed himself! He knew he was not good enough for me! That the world does not revolve around him! That he had to atone for what he did to others, including me! You are not him!" 

Rey was no Bella Swan. Bella would jump at an imaginary Edward and fall to the invisible mine that was there. She had jumped off a cliff for this, after all. But Rey, even without sensing the mine, wasn't a fool to jump at the imaginary Ben. She bypasses him and escapes the death trap. 

Then she crawls inside giant pipes and sneaks past many cat-like guards, while shooting some more flying guts. However, her way is blocked by three Frog Mercenaries, trained guards who resemble humanoid toads and are gold in color.

She uses the Force to push all of them backwards and draws her yellow lightsaber. She slashes one of them in the leg, but the second one hops high and lands a flying kick at her stomach. The third one wraps her with his giant tongue, but Rey has nothing of this. She grabs the tonque with both hands and uses Force Lightning at it, instantly knocking the toad out. 

Then she turns to the other two. "You are good. But I am Rey Skywalker."

Shortly after, back to Earth, the united Resistance gets out of Arabia after dealing with an Agent blockade easily. Up until China, the Resistance encounters no opposition at all. 

However, this changes as they encounter a very powerful force there. The Chinese Coven of vampires was relatively weak, but started growing after all the strong covens were given the boot. The Tikis are there too, with brainwashed tigers on their side and about a thousand Tiki Goons, Dooms, Buzzes and some more rare Tikis.

But these are not alone. Some water buffalo demons and other lesser fiends are there too, led by the vicious One-Horned King and the Long-Stripes Leopard Captain. 

This alliance has only one goal. To stop the Resistance from advancing.

The vampires charge first. Leah leads the Children of the Moon against them. Pan gets surrounded by three vampires, but uses the Sword of Truth and cuts them down to size. Then he fires a Thunderbolt and fries another vampire. Poe attacks from air and defeats many winged fiends, Tiki Buzzes and vampires. 

Dex and Leah, Kitty and Finn, they fight in pairs against the vampires. Just like the old times. Only this time they fight Tikis too. And hungry tigers. Commander Saber uses his Shark Swords to fight off many monsters. Soon he has beaten about twenty.

Leah, in her wolf form, is surrounded by seven vampires. She takes out the first six with the Six-Sided Strike and the last one with a pounce. Dex uses a grenade for two Tiki Tanks, which are immune to bullets. Kitty defeats a Tiki Doom with her bare hands, chokes a tiger and uses a karate chop to split a Tiki Goon in two. Finn shoots a Tiki Buzz with one hand and uses the other, which holds the lightsaber, to decapitate a vampire. Then he uses the Force to dodge an arrow he can't see and then knock the archer out.

Roosia uses her bazooka to destroy some Tiki Tanks and bullets to massacre Tiki Goons. Nicky with her shotgun and Silver Bullets defeats three tigers and some minions of the One-Horned King.

The Leopard Captain uses Spear Storm, impaling many rebels and even wounding Greyfur, Nicky and Roosia. Pan responds with an extremely powerful thunderbolt, creating a colossal lion of lightning that explodes on contact. The demon dies instantly.

Then he uses a Thunderstorm to fry multiple demons, Tikis and vampires and goes straight to the One-Horned King.

The high-level demon charges at the blond warrior with his spear. Pan attacks with the Sword of Truth and the Shield of Hope. Around them, ex-Stormtroopers are shooting water buffalo monsters. A vampire drinks the blood of an ex-Stormtrooper, while a Buffalo Minion impales a werewolf with his spear. Thrice to be sure. 

Kitty uses her Feral Claws to take on two Buffalo Minions at once and knees a Tiki Goon. Then she jumps on another Tiki Goon and dodges the lunge of a tiger before slashing it with her claws. 

Finn uses his lightsaber to defeat two vampires and a Tiki Tank. However, he gets hit by the fireball of a Tiki Bomber, a powerful Tiki that shoots blue fireballs. However, Commander Saber uses his Airblast Gun to fire a stream of wind and extinquish the blue flames of the mask, allowing Finn to shoot it dead. 

Tiki Torks dash from the sky and Johnny takes them out quickly. Then he spots a Buffalo Minion who charges at him with a javelin. Johnny fails to block the first attack and is knocked down, but he uses Razor Leaves to cut the demon down to size.

The One-Horned King never stood a chance. Pan proves to surpass him in power and skill, stabbing him after four rounds. 

Unfortunately for Pan, he does not surpass the enemy in secret weapons. 

The One-Horned King draws a ring. The Ring of Trapping, which snares all of Pan's weapons. Even the magical, holy ones. Pan, enraged, fights with his bare hands and starts punching the king really hard, even drawing a lot of blood. He also dodges and blocks all incoming punches. The young man kicks the demon in the jaw, breaking it, but the king is not fighting fair. 

After blinding Pan with soil, he uses his spear to stab him in the stomach. Johnny sees them and fires the Deadly Discs, five discs that can explode. The wounded enemy would certainly die if he didn't absorb all five of them with the ring. He also absorbs Johnny's other weapons. Johnny casts fireball, hoping for a loophole in spells. Fat chance. It is also absorbed.

Commander Saber uses his Plasma Rifle, while Poe uses his Proton Torpedoes. The ring absorbs both attacks. 

Leah and Finn figure it out. "We have to go for the ring. Without it, this demon can't even beat Pan alone. Finn! I distract him, you go for the ring!"

"Ok!"

Leah dashes faster than the human eye can see, in human form, and starts punching the demon. 

"ORA ORA ORA ORA ORA ORA ORA ORA ORA ORA!"

The One-Horned King is knocked down. "You know... just say 'Come On'!"

"It's easier." 

With her tremendous speed and bare hands, Leah lands twelve hits for each one she gets and her healing factor helps her recover. Of course, Pan had already weakened this enemy a lot. 

Finn fires with his blaster just as the One-Horned King kicks Leah in the gut. Predictably, the King absorbs bolt and blaster with his ring. Distracted, he gets punched so hard the ring gets out of his hands. He pushes Leah back and tries to retrieve it, but she lunges again and pins him down. Finn uses the Force to grab the ring and gives it to Kitty. She uses her super strength to stomp on it with all her might. 

It takes three stomps for the artifact to break. When the One-Horned King has stabbed Leah and broken free, it's too late. Everyone retrieves their weapons stolen by the ring magically. And Pan has started recovering. 

The One-Horned King has only a second to say "Oh shit" before Pan strikes him with a thunderbolt, tossing him at Kitty, who uses the Megaton Punch to finish him off. Her fist emerges through his body and he drops dead.

Johnny uses his regained Rocket Launcher to blow up some Tikis. Pan casts a Lightning Bomb, while Dex fires grenades and Saber uses his Devastator to finish the remaining enemies off. 

Now the way to Japan is open.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Please leave me feedback! I love taking criticism!
> 
> Yes, Rey not doing what Bella Swan did was entirely intentional. She wouldn't do that for an imaginary Finn either, but, unlike Kylo, Finn is nothing like Edward Cullen. So, there would be no parallel.
> 
> Liked the return of the other Resistance members? Please tell me!
> 
> Who was more of a threat? Wishmonger or the One-Horned King? 
> 
> Opinions about Jannah? Or Finn's arc advancing? 
> 
> Finally, I know I am a flamer and prep for killing Ebony Way.


	23. Deep Trouble

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The Resistance faces one last dangerous foe before they get to Japan. Rey does one of the hardest missions in her life.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This is how the Japan arc begins. Also, the hardest mission for Rey here continues.

The last Frog Mercenary falls from Rey's lightsaber. She has advanced deeper in the base, fighting off flying guts, poison-spitting mermen, humanoid kittens and metal urchins.

She uses the Force to sense landmines ahead, which saves her life at least ten times. She finds a dead end and a submarine with glass walls. It looks primitive. However, she has to pass through a Cat Bouncer first.

He is in the exact tight spot where she can't get past him. A Force Push doesn't move him an inch. Even the kitten guards, who could and did hurl Rey across a tube, aren't that tough. The adopted Skywalker leaps to strike with her lightsaber, but the guard gets barely a scratch. Then he yawns and punches Rey really hard in the face, sending her flying just as far as that kitten guard did. 

However, by the looks of it, the bouncer isn't the sharpest lightsaber in the butter. Rey sees brute force is ineffective, so she uses a Mind Trick. "You will let me pass and use the submarine." 

The guard steps aside and makes a gesture similar to a knight welcoming a fair lady. Well, Rey was a fair lady alright. She enters the submarine and realizes that it's a capsule with quality that would make Ewoks laugh. The oxygen is limited, the glass ordinary, there are no weapons...

"How do they transport using these piles of shit?"

Sadly, there was no other option, so Rey had to use this and managed to get to the next part of the station by the skin of her teeth. Due to controls she was not familiar with, Rey hit walls thrice and the submarine already had cracks that inhibited her vision.

"Unless the technicians had a Dyad with these submarines, I don't see why they couldn't find better options." Rey remarked before activating two switches simultaneously with the Force. "Yeah, there goes all the budget, I suppose." 

The front door opened and Rey went forward, where she encountered more flying guts. She quickly shot them.

She climbs a massive structure next. She remembers climbing on Starkiller Base and the Death Star Ruins. This is child's play compared to these climbs. After she gets on top of the structure, she charges at a kitten guard. Remembering, however, what happens if she gets careless, she stops herself and Force Chokes the guard to death. Then she discovers some other monsters. The Living Livers... they are exactly what their names suggest. 

Thankfully, they are quite easy to beat. And then Rey sees another dead end and submarine... it's just as horrible as the last one. And, in the sea around these tubes, there are many bodies of Stormtroopers in their suits. These children were sent there to die by General Hux. They never stood a chance to make it.

A tear flows from Rey's eyes.

Meanwhile, the Resistance sails through the sea between China and Japan. The ships include not just spaceships, but actual ships. Armed with large cannons, four big ships go to Japan. One carries the squad that goes to Heaven and gets attacked by multiple monsters at once.

These monsters are Lesser Umi-Bozu, water-based Yokai that are a threat to fishermen. They are accompanied by some Raven Tengus for air support. Nicky uses a Silver Bullet to bypass a Tengu's defence and successfully wound him. Then she dodges the Yokai's spear and hard feathers. Pan hurls a Lightning Spear to a Lesser Umi-Bozu and fries it in one hit, while Kitty uses her Feral Claws to fight another off. They are ineffective and the Umi-Bozu bites her. Then she sets them on fire and tries again, this time defeating the Yokai pretty easily. Since these monsters are made of water, Johnny uses vines and explosive seeds to easily defeat many of them. Then he creates a stone wall to block a sword made of water... which penetrates the wall slightly.

The Stormwolf Force is using the other ships and gets to a southern port. The Port of Kobe. However, they are stopped by a ship full of Agents and Bone Pirates. These skeletons are not nearly as strong as Stalfos, but they are fast and _many._

Leah uses her wolf form to attack these pirates, while Finn fires his blaster, the Men of Crete standing in a line by his side with their firearms. They are now in a level that can easily match the Agents and even gun down a few of the skeletons by themselves. Leah lunges from skeleton to skeleton, and even gets Finn to complain that...

"Hey, that was my kill!" 

Realizing Leah with her wolf form and super speed and strength is beyond him if he only uses his blaster, he uses the Force and knocks ten enemies down at once. Then he takes out three Agents with his blaster.

However, the skeletons are creative with their attacks. One fires a molotov cocktail, Finn shoots it in mid-air. Another hurls a metal bar spinning at him. 

"This is it. Time to prove my worth!" 

And Finn draws his lightsaber, cutting the bar to six pieces. One piece from being a Jedi. He is not there yet. The Agents, seeing this, fall back, jump back on the ship. The skeletons keep fighting fiercely. Their melee units are defeated, but some of them do manage to seriously injure some rebels with their thrown axes. 

"The Umi-Bozu!" the enemy captain shouts. "We need the mighty Umi-Bozu! Otherwise, we don't stand a chance!"

A skeleton with a giant sword and shield challenges Finn. He has a helmet with very big horns and tough armor. Even his bones are heavy. Finn gets ready. However, Leah gently taps him in the shoulder. "He is mine." 

"Ok." 

Leah uses her wolf form to pounce at the enemy and lands multiple claw swipes, however the skeleton throws her down. Then he swings his big sword and Leah barely dodges. The sword actually lands on the floor, scratching it. Leah lunges and bites his leg. Nevertheless, the skeleton attacks again and slashes her, leaving a deep wound and the she-wolf in pain.

Finn pushes back the skeleton with the Force. He knows Leah insisted on fighting herself, but after so many times of Rey getting hurt because she insisted she did not need him, he couldn't sit and do nothing! 

Then he draws his blaster and shoots six times, but the skeleton blocks all blaster bolts with his shield. However, Leah has changed into her human form and unleashes a flurry of punches at the skeleton until she destroys him. 

"Thanks, but I could handle it."

"You sure could!"

"Don't act like that, wannabe knight in shining armor! I only got one hit and you acted like I was..."

"Probably going to get two!"

Poe is on his X-Wing, along with many other ships. He observes the two. "Your attention please, the married couple should stop bickering right now, because..."

"We are just friends..."

"... it's not the time for this! They brought in a serious threat... and we can no longer depend on the high-level friends on the North!"

Finn, Leah, Little Finn and Q all turn around. 

The enemy ships and forces retreat immediately... something is coming. Something awful. 

"I've got a bad feeling about this." Finn comments. 

Back to the underwater base, Rey shoots some flying guts and Living Livers. Then she slashes a kitten guard three times with her lightsaber, but he grabs her by the foot and repeatedly slams her into the ground before tossing her backwards. "Ugh, not again... Even without the Dark One's influence, I am getting too cocky..."

She lifts a chunk of metal and strikes the guard with it. Then she just jumps over him and finds another of these submarines. 

"I wonder... is this negative karma for trusting an abusive little shit, for trying to push my friends away from me or for being a Palpatine? Anyway, I died, I think that's enough punishment for me... now, Force, find me a better submarine, please!" 

No, just those fragile ones from glass.

"Well, FUCK YOU, FORCE!"

She boards it anyway and starts leading it through many rocks or walls of stone. She also has to avoid robotic sharks. Of course, the capsule is unarmed. Clearly, anyone behind this fortress is too paranoid. Or had too little budget left for transports.

Rey carefully steers the capsule and avoids the rocks... almost all of them. At one point, she bumps, and momentarily loses control... then she bumps again! And bumps once more! The glass already shows some cracks. 

Rey manages to escape danger and keeps going. However, a shark spots her and fires lasers from its mouth. The capsule gets damaged further. Rey is angry. She is the Chosen One! She is the last Skywalker! The Force is supposed to hand things and people to her! 

She uses the Dark Side to Force Crush the sharks. Sometimes, the odds will be against her. Just like with Palpatine! No matter. She isn't going to give up! 

Rey reaches a small station that replenishes the oxygen of the submarine. A sigh of relief later, she continues leading the capsule through the rocks. As much as she can. She collides with them again. And again. _And again._ The glass is full of cracks now. And, just before it breaks, Rey manages to find the next part of the station and some living guts, which she easily destroys. She also defeats a Frog Mercenary with her lightsaber and finally sneaks past three Cat Bouncers.

In her way stand metal urchins, which are also quickly defeated. "Phew. This is going to make me hate felines. Though everything else is easier for me to beat than for Poe to fly a ship."

Rey uses the Force to jump from ledge to ledge and climbs another wall effortlessly. Two Cat Bouncers spot her and are about to beat her senseless. Rey knows she can't beat them fairly. So, she will play dirty. She Mind Tricks them into fighting each other. 

Soon, she will reach her goal. Soon, she will conquer the space station, Aquaria. 

Meanwhile, Finn and Leah see their enemy. 

It's a colossal mass of water, resembling a monk's disfigured face. It has two glowing yellow eyes and a big, also yellow, mouth. It's a powerful Yokai, one of the strongest marine ones. 

The one and only, mighty Umi-Bozu!

A half-Japanese rebel soldier runs at them. "This is a foe beyond even vampires. It hates fire! Do we have fire?" 

"No."

"Then get away! Please get away!"

Finn commands the helmsman to quickly steer the ship starboard. The helmsman does so and saves the lives of everyone as the big Yokai fires Water Cannon, a massive beam of water, from its glowing yellow mouth. If it struck home, it would sink the ship.

Finn remembers his nearly fatal encounter with the Rathars, when Rey saved him. The two made a great team... they defended each other with their lives.

In Leah, Finn didn't just see himself, a person who took abuse and irrational hatred and still could stand up for what is right. He also saw the hero Rey used to be. And, of course, he loved her the way she was. 

As the Umi-Bozu catches up, Finn fires at the open mouth with his blaster. "This is still something hot! Get us out of here, I am going to hold this thing off!" 

The big Yokai gets hurt and flinches from the blaster bolts. Angry at the audacity of the human who defied it, it creates a tentacle out of water, just like a Rathar. However, Finn is no longer a Stormtrooper who just wants to run. He is a General who has the Force and a lightsaber, which chops the tentacle to pieces. The Umi-Bozu, however, is able to create more tentacles, since it's a mass of water! 

It spits wreckage of ships, but Finn deflects them with the Force. However, he gets hit by a ball of water. Lesser Umi-Bozu get aboard and surround him. He slashes one with his lightsaber, but another creates a sword out of water and throws it. It impales the Padawan, in a quick and cruel reminder that he is not invincible. Leah, however, is not going to let her comrade die. She changes into a wolf and attacks with the Six Sided Strike, destroying all six Lesser Umi-Bozu that are on board. This allows Finn to focus on the big one and shoot it some more! 

The half-Japanese soldier gives a torch to Little Finn. 

"The Alpha and the General are in danger. Take this and light these torches on the back. You are small enough for it not to see you." The torches were for signals, but they were usually not used otherwise because the ship would be easier for enemies to spot. 

They are also short enough for this reason. Little Finn carries the torch and tries to ignite the torches as more Lesser Umi-Bozu hop aboard and fight Finn and Leah.

Finn has a new technique, the Spin Attack, which he uses to slash two blobs at once, while Leah, back to human form, uses her steel pipe to batter another Lesser Umi-Bozu. 

Little Finn lights two out of three torches, but a Lesser Umi-Bozu is about to devour him. Leah rushes faster than the human eye can see and uses her stake to impale the magical core this creature has. Repeatedly.

When all three torches are lit, the Lesser Umi-Bozu can no longer board the ship, for they get vaporized. But the big, strong one has no problem. It puts out a torch, but Little Finn ignites it again. Finn shoots the Umi-Bozu some more and dodges a tentacle slam. Then he gets close and slashes the monster...

But a tentacle wraps him. Just like there with the Rathars. And Rey is not here this time to save him. However, Leah is. She takes Little Finn's torch, gestures him to go back and throws the torch at the big Yokai.

It hurts a lot, but the Yokai wraps Leah too with a water tentacle. Seems like both Finn and Leah are doomed... however, Poe and his fleet have made a formation! 

"Our friends are in trouble! Fire at the beast!"

"Affirmative, General Poe!" 

General Poe fires with his blasters of the X-Wing and so do the eight pilots behind him. The Umi-Bozu is severely injured and drops both heroes, who fall back, trusting Poe and his fleet. 

The Umi-Bozu is not afraid of attacking with its tentacles, but it's already injured and the pilots dodge the tentacles. However, the Umi-Bozu, with little warning, fires the Water Cannon from its mouth and destroys two X-Wings at once. 

Poe is pissed. Every person of his wingmen matters to him, and now two are dead. He fires Proton Torpedoes at the beast, which wraps his wings with tentacles. 

"BB-8, torch them! I will fire at will!"

BB-8 does so and Poe does an all-out attack, with both blasters and torpedoes. 

The monster, severely weakened, retreats back into the sea. It proved to be too strong for Finn and Leah. However, Stormwolf managed to escape it.

Back to Aquaria, Rey Mind Tricks all the Cat Bouncers to ignore her and spots a giant imprisoned hamster. Feeling sorry for the poor animal, she frees it and rides it. The Frog Mercenaries and the Kitten Guards charge, but the hamster eats all of them.

The Scavenger and the hamster reach another capsule. This one has far more oxygen than the others. For some reason, Rey has an awful feeling about this. 

She passes through a labyrinth of water, bumping into rocks many, many times. Now she has got somewhat used to the controls, but she still gets hit often. 

Plus, as the oxygen is running out, she has to hide from robotic sharks. She sneaks past them, however she has lost precious, precious time. 

To avoid getting lost, the woman uses the Force. She also uses it to guide the submarine, sick of constantly hitting the walls. 

She still has a few bumps due to the tight corridors. 

Ten seconds remain until oxygen runs out. Rey sees the destination. Eight seconds. She hits a wall. The capsule is about to break. Five seconds. Rey gets to the main station... where flying guts and Living Livers approach her. She shoots them all. 

Then she Mind Tricks two Cat Bouncers into leaving and activates two switches that require exceptional strength simultaneously using the Force. 

She finally gets face to face with the mastermind. The Killer Goldfish... which basically is a fish with a lot of intelligence. 

"I know I have trusted a bad person in the past because he was handsome and should never do so again, but... you look cute." 

"How did you call me? I do not look cute! Number Four! Number Four!" 

A Cat Bouncer, slightly bigger than the others who were already larger than Rey, emerges behind her, towering over the scavenger. 

As she sees him, she tries a Mind Trick.

"You will pluck the fish out of his bowl and give him to me. You will also smash any means of flooding planets apart with your bare hands."

Sadly for the woman, even the Force won't give an instant win. Number Four is way too close-minded and loyal. And the Mind Trick does not work. The thug grabs the Jedi by the throat.

"Crush her!" commands the goldfish. "Destroy the spawn of Emperor Palpatine! End this bloodline of disgusting creatures!" 

If Rey wasn't busy being choked, she would respond by saying that he has a point about her grandfather.

Now she has to act fast! She starts desperately kicking at the big guard as her windpipe starts getting crushed! Some kicks do find their target, who doesn't even flinch. 

She is alone, against all odds. But she has to fight! She has to! This is the spirit of a true Jedi!

As Rey struggles against Number Four, the Resistance group that goes to Heaven finally reaches Japan! 

Kitty is stabbed by a spear of a Tengu, but cremates him with a flamethrower, while Johnny uses Poison Darts to fight two more Yokai that wait on the coast.

Seeing no other enemies, the Resistance warriors start looking for portals.

Johnny turns to Kitty. "Should we trust Stormwolf to weaken the Yokai forces for us?" 

"One took on a planet-busting superweapon successfully with only a horse. The other saved us all by holding off an enemy who could defeat even our strongest member. I trust them."

"And there is also Poe" Nicky adds "who is simply Poe."

Commander Saber finds a Gate of Souls. However, it is guarded... by many Yoki and other Yokai. 

"Let's do this."

The Bone Samurai go first. Armed with long and sharp Uchigatanas, they are fast and skilled enough to bring horror to even hardened cops. These skeletons fight with all the grace they had while alive. However, the Resistance, while outnumbered and flanked from both sides, have no cannon fodder, only elite warriors, half of whom possess powerful magical abilities. 

Both sides are filled with courage. Pan doesn't feel overwhelmed, instead he throws a mighty Lightning Bomb at the skeletons. Ten get defeated at once. However, being undead and raised with the samurai code helps these skeletons keep advancing with no fear. Behind them, Light Yokai Infantry advances with their own Uchigatanas.

Johnny uses his vines to trap some enemies. Then he draws his katana. He fights against three Bone Samurai at once and gets a scratch in the shoulder. Knowing he is in danger, he uses his secret technique with the weapon. The Barracuda Strike. He unleashes multiple slashes. 

He gets behind the skeletons... but nothing happens, in spite of all these slashes. The skeletons charge again to stab Johnny... however, he lowers his blade. And they all get sliced and diced to pieces. 

Kitty uses her Feral Claws at a Light Yokai Infantryman, but spots a big Yoki. She removes the claws and lands three strong hooks. The Japanese fiend is reeling. Kitty uses a dropkick, which actually knocks the beast down! However, the Yoki gets back up and punches her hard. As she gets dizzy, the beast advances, however Nicky shows up and finishes it off with a Silver Bullet and a headshot. 

Roosia uses her bazooka to blow a Yoki to pieces. Then with her machine gun she fends off Light Yokai Infantry. She would be eventually overwhelmed if not for Dex, who appears with a cooked grenade and throws it, blowing up some Yokai. Then he uses his assault rifle and helps Roosia.

Tammy, a tall and skilled redhead, has enough of this. She draws her minigun and starts shooting the enemies. Commander Saber himself stabs a Yokai Infantryman with his green lightsaber, but he sees the final guardian for the Gate... an Onryoki. A giant, horned, red Yokai with sharp teeth. It wields two colossal flails, it's created by hatred and malice. 

Commander Saber blows a hole in it with the Devastator, but the giant Yokai uses its flails and smacks him hard. Saber grits his teeth and slides under the next attacks, reaching the big Yokai and slashing its legs with his lightsaber. He eventually disarms the beast, but an uppercut launches him high and the lightsaber is knocked out of his hands!

Saber is not done yet! He lands on his feet and charges again. This time, his fists are surrounded by ki. He unleashes the mighty Ki Barrage, which weakens the enemy severely. Multiple fists of ki, with enhanced range, speed and strength strike the Onryoki! The Onryoki retaliates with a belly flop and Saber is trapped inside. Seems like he is crushed... but he pulls himself out of the giant's body and draws the Shark Swords. 

He unites them and throws a disc of water, while the Onryoki recovers and throws a fireball. Predictably, the disc wins the clash and stuns the fierce Yokai for three seconds, allowing Saber to cut off its head with the heavy sword. 

"That was close..." 

Back while the Resistance was still strong on the Milky Way, Commander Saber was the leader, a figure that inspired many. He wasn't the strongest fighter, however his skills made him the leader he was. 

He started out as a normal human, until he learned limited ki and had an adventure to Chernobyl, where, despite his protections, he was still partially mutated. 

Now he sees the others defeating the enemy hordes with their powerful abilities and weapons. After the last Yoki falls from the Sword of Truth, the Resistance is about to enter the portal.

Back to Rey, she managed to free herself minutes ago, however, she is still losing. Number Four is overwhelmingly strong and even blocks two quick saber strikes from Rey. Then with a single punch to the gut he sends her out of the room, where her spine starts cracking. The last time she nearly lost her spine, it was not literal. She has to use her head. Should she cut off the walls with her saber? 

No. She puts herself in danger and the main target would be more of a threat underwater. 

Number Four is upon her, punching her jaw so hard he nearly breaks it along with her teeth. Dizzy, Rey tries to kick him, but he grabs her leg and throws her to a glass wall. Then he starts slamming her until the tough glass cracks. 

"No!" the killer goldfish shouts. "Stop, you moron! You will break the glass!"

Number Four stops. Rey's face is bloody, and she screams as the thug's claws dig into her back. Immediately, she stabs him with her lightsaber. 

Then she keeps her distance and uses Force Lightning to zap the guard. Number Four is damaged, but doesn't even flinch and he keeps advancing. Rey knows brute strength is not her advantage in this fight, but this bouncer looks like he can't do anything but fight... 

She uses her lightsaber to create a hole. Not to the walls. Just to the ground. Number Four jumps over it... but Rey uses the Force and pushes him down. To her delight, he falls. 

Now it's her and the goldfish. She is severely weakened and approaches him.

She is still Rey! She gets closer to him. She extends her hand to grab him... but the fish is prepared. He turns his bowl into a giant mech to the Scavenger's surprise. 

"I was overly dependent on my idiot guards to fight. That's why I lost plenty of times in the past. Now, this ends once and for all!"

Rey is wounded from the battle with Number Four. However, she is not going to give up. Snoke had praised her when she stood up to him twice, despite being outclassed. 

She raises her saber and blocks all the laser beams coming at her. The mech launches rockets, but Rey deflects them all with the Force and throws her saber, making a cut on the mech. However, a laser beam strikes her in the chest.

Rey gets up and casts Force Lightning. However, the mech creates a barrier from its hands and easily blocks it. It also fires bullets from its knees, wounding Rey twice.

The Jedi charges with her lightsaber again. She plans to cut the legs of the machine, while dodging lasers. Her plan would have worked... if she wasn't so heavily injured. One of the beams hits her and knocks her unconscious. 

The killer goldfish summons two Cat Bouncers. "Throw her into the Chamber of Agony. I want her to be awake when we dispose of her."

A hour later, in Japan, Stormwolf reaches a hotel. After a narrow escape from the lethal Umi-Bozu, they didn't encounter more resistance. Good. All these fights were tiring them out, and as the government was getting serious, the possibility of the next battle was increasingly diminishing. 

Leah watches the news, where a terrorist organization known as the "Children of Oda Nobunaga" is mentioned, with Al's good old profanity. 

Finn is feeding Little Finn and also hearing the news. "Who is Oda Nobunaga?" 

"All I know is that he was a really, really cruel warlord who inspired a lot of fear." 

"Seems like some people actually liked his reign of terror. Why am I surprised? Even with Emperor Palpatine's apparent death, there were enough fanatics to join the First Order. All officers were volunteers. Only the Stormtroopers were brainwashed slaves. This is why I only regretted killing Stormtroopers in self-defense. This is the worst thing I ever did in my life."

"At least you admit you did something wrong. You want my advice? I saw the Stormtroopers you freed or inspired to run from the Order. You did a mistake, as everybody does. Keep atoning for it. Keep saving as many Troopers as you can." 

"You are right, Leah. This is the only way."

Leah remembers the old days. If she did point out someone made a mistake, all her old pack called her a bitter harpy. Then again, unlike Finn, they never wanted to learn from them, or couldn't thanks to the imprints. 

So, she couldn't encourage them to learn, to improve. 

Her new pack and friends, her new family, actually treat her as a person. She will not stop comparing them favorably to her awful past. She also remembers that then her remarks were less polite. Environment, she concludes, does partially affect a person. 

Now she is still watching television. After the Children of Oda Nobunaga, there is an anime series. 

Love is War. 

"I am surprised they allow series that aren't romanticised abuse to be on air." Leah remarks.

"Maybe they have something else in their minds besides being evil. Who knows?" 

"Indeed. Aro, one of their covers, actually enforced things that were pretty moral. He still had to die because of his mass murders of people." 

Both warriors remember the Fall of Volterra pretty fondly. It was the day they met each other, the day they made a difference, the day they saved thousands. Leah was afraid Finn would die, she thought he was just a moron with a big heart. But he proved to be a moron with big heart who refused to die.

Finn thinks about everything built so far. They were still a minor faction, and did suffer major setbacks, but they already did things. Even before they split up the first time, Finn and Leah did destroy a powerful vampire coven, many Sues and Stus, and they even brought down a then dreaded Silver Moblin. Later, they even created a whole squad. 

They need to rest... they need to praise the powers they all worship for living to the next day. 

As Finn and Leah go to sleep, Rey wakes up. She finds herself strapped to a chair in a room made of glass almost as tough as that of the tubes. 

On the other side is Bob, the killer goldfish, accompanied by two Cat Bouncers in case Rey somehow manages to escape. Her weapons had been taken away from her in the control room.

Bob looks at the helpless Jedi before him. "I can't believe you beat Number Four. He was my favorite bodyguard. Good thing I adapted from my defeats in the hands of past heroes and created that mech to defend myself. 

I am going to enjoy drowning you, granddaughter of a murderer. Maybe, if you stopped finding criminals cute, you wouldn't be in this position. Activate the water."

The water comes from the top of the glass room slowly. Rey realises that she had been fooled by appearances again, and that she was dealing with a dangerous psychopath. And that she has no time for self-loathing. She has to act, and fast.

"Calm down, calm down..."

"I can't!" Bob responds. "I am almost ecstatic watching you die!" 

"I am talking to myself."

Rey has no weapons and is tied up. She uses the Force to try to loosen the ropes. These ropes are tied in a way that it's hard to let loose. The water has reached her boots and makes them wet. Rey closes her eyes and focuses. Luke's voice reaches her ears. 

"Use the Force, Rey. Sense the ropes." 

She does so and starts letting them loose. She hasn't been done yet, since she is the one tied up, when the water reaches her knees. Luke, seeing his adopted daughter in mortal peril, musters the strength to let part of the ropes loose. Then Rey does the rest herself.

She stands up, but the water is already on her waist. She extends a hand and... 

"You will break the glass" she orders one of the Cat Bouncers. He falls for the Mind Trick and tries to, but the other bodyguard tackles him.

"Both of you will break the glass" Rey commands. 

They obey as Bob prepares his mech. The Bouncers punch and punch and punch, while the water reaches Rey's chest. 

When it reaches her neck, the glass breaks, spilling the water! However, Bob's mech is ready and devastates the two bouncers with rockets. 

"You are still unarmed, woman. This time, I will rip you apart!" 

The mech starts firing laser beam after laser beam, but Rey dodges them. She has to get to the control center. She uses the Force to locate her weapons by touching the floor. After realizing they are indeed in the control center, she makes a run for it, dodging laser beams. She becomes more and more dry as time passes. 

Even before she learned that she had the Force, she was quite fast, which allows her now to run from the bigger machine. With her advanced abilities, she senses the beams coming at her and dodges them.

But what Bob lacks in physical strength, he has it in brains. He fires homing missiles, which Rey sends back at the mech. Despite the damage, the machine keeps going. Bob aims in front of Rey with the laser... and the attack actually manages to hit her! 

Then the giant machine blocks the woman's way and grabs her legs. Each hand of the robot starts stretching a leg, threatening to rip them apart.

"Y... you..." Rey says in pain. 

"I outsmarted you again? I know. Say goodbye to your legs, Palpatine!"

"You should have caught me by the arms."

Rey's hands are filled with Force Lightning, which she fires at the mech. She attacks with all her anger, the bolt being strong enough to bring a transport down. Or a battle mech. 

The machine explodes in seconds.

Rey uses the Force one last time to land on her feet. She is exhausted and nearly died more than once today, but she managed to save Earth from being flooded. Then she senses something falling and extends her hand to catch it. 

It's a now helpless Bob. 

Rey uses her left hand to bring him to eye level.

"You are right. I am the granddaughter of Palpatine. And you knew that. It wasn't a good idea to mess with me. You know... all this fight... has made me weary. And really, really _hungry._ "

As she prepares her revenge, she licks her lips.

The next day, the sun shines on Japan. Finn, Poe, Q and Leah are eating breakfast, having gathered alongside Little Finn and BB-8. 

"I expected something more... close to a pagoda."

"Well, Japan now isn't all pagodas..."

"At least the services here are awesome!"

Q turns to Finn. "Beware. In the East, there is a lot of racism. I saw the Chinese poster from your legends... They had the brilliant idea of shrinking your image. And Poe wasn't treated much better. And that was before the takeover. Killing the Dark One will not solve all the problems."

"Well, you make it sound like it will be trivial. It's anything but."

There were couples formed in the ranks of Stormwolf, who started going shopping in Kobe after they all eat breakfast. 

Everything seems to go fine... 

Until a museum is robbed. By some terrorists who dress as ninjas.

They are trying to steal Fudou. This tantou was used and liked by Oda Nobunaga and his most trusted assistant. 

However, the guards do their jobs well and manage to spot them. "Get out of here! What do you want, dressed like this?"

"The knife. It belongs to us."

"It belongs to the museum! It's a historical artifact!"

"It is. But it's also a treasure for Oda Nobunaga."

The guards have taken measures in surrounding the tantou. The Children are a dangerous and notorious gang, they would try to distract them by talking.

As the tourists run away, the ninjas and the police engage in combat. The cops fight well with their handguns, even taking out two enemies, but the ninjas aren't armed with just Sais, katanas and shurikens. They have also futuristic weapons, such as actual blasters and plasma kunai! 

In the end, the guards never stood a chance. 

"Careful with Fudou... our leader loves this weapon."

Back in Aquaria, Rey has recovered her weapons. She goes back to her ship again. "If there is one thing I discovered, is that revenge tastes really good... Even though it had some bones. Also, that I am not old enough not to play with my food."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Did you like Rey's underwater mission? I believe she needed a challenge... Skipped the revenge, though, because it was a bit too cruel. 
> 
> Opinions about the Children of Oda Nobunaga?
> 
> Or about Umi-Bozu? 
> 
> Next, we shall have the adventures of Stormwolf in the country of the rising sun! Which, since the takeover, is ruled by Yokai. Will they manage to weaken the enemy?


	24. The East New World

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Two important players are added in the game.
> 
> Rey sees the fate she very nearly avoided.
> 
> Finn and Leah get to Japan.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Warning: Lots of toxic soulbond-bashing. Because these things are underhated.
> 
> Also, loads and loads of new characters! Hope you like them all (ok, you can hate the bad guys!)

In Tokyo, the capital of Japan, the Yokai are the authority for a long time. They are in charge through fear and cover their alliance with the Black Legion. 

They managed to defeat any local opposition easily, except the Children of Oda Nobunaga. And another enemy, who did get arrested, but did not go down easily. 

The Nutty Poet.

Who was the Nutty Poet?

She was a human, short, brunette, who wears glasses. She didn't wield any weapon normally, except for a simple paintbrush. She didn't look like a powerhouse at all, and indeed she wasn't. 

However, she still managed to be a major threat. Because what she lacked in strength she had in intelligence, and the paintbrush was actually a magical one, a very versatile weapon. The paintbrush could materialize anything it drew with very few exceptions. So, the Poet often drew a Naginata or a crossbow to fight against the Agents. She was so effective that she managed to outwit ten men of the Yakuza with traps she drew on walls or the ground. 

In the end, the Yokai had enough of her. She had already survived many random encounters with Bone Samurai, Gaki, Oni-Bi and other lesser Yokai. She even saved her sister from a stronghold of the Agents, who had taken it over from the Yakuza and kidnapped her as bait for the Poet. Afterwards, the Poet's sister left for her safety. 

The Poet established a dojo to train herself. The Yokai had the brilliant idea of attacking her there with a sizable force. It included even the strong Heavy Yokai Infantry, One-Eyed Oni and Yoki. Of course there was a lot of fodder too. 

However, the magical paintbrush had only two limitations. It took time to draw something, and it needed accuracy, while it also needed something solid for the weapon or anything else its wielder wanted to be drawn. Both were obsolete when the Poet spotted them on time and stayed inside the dojo. Using traps to soften them up and draw a bazooka, a Naginata and a shield on time, she managed to stand her ground and kill all the enemies. 

Another time, she had been stranded in Limbo. She had to fight Stygians and Yokai troops, but beat them using the walls of that world. However, she was stranded for a day and started starving. Then she realized she could draw a portal and get out of there... though she thought about how to send herself back to where she was. It took her five times longer than the other drawings, but she managed to escape.

However, the limits of the paintbrush came back to bite her. She was returning to her dojo from shopping and did the mistake of passing through an open field. Unarmed, with only her paintbrush ready. She got ambushed by multiple Yokai Archers, Enki, One-Eyed Imps, Karakasa, Oni-Bi and some One-Eyed Onis. She didn't even manage to draw something on the floor before she was hit by the first arrow. Then they all ganged up on her and she was easily captured.

One of the reasons the Poet was hunted so much was that she wrote and published a poem that spoke against imprints and soulbonds. She was angry seeing people falling for others who abused them and having no choice but to chase after them. The government also hated some imprints, those which were on children, but promoted the rest with a passion.

Now she is in prison. Of course, her paintbrush was taken away. She tries to find something, anything to escape. She could use her bare hands... but these guards are Yoki and Heavy Yokai Infantry. They are physically far stronger than her. 

She hopes someone comes and saves her.

Meanwhile, Finn and Leah are exploring Japan. Since the Yokai took over, it doesn't look completely as it did before.

The two chose to explore the country alone, as they did trust themselves to be safe. 

"I heard that since the takeover, humans and Yokai have made new communities. Right now, we are only a bit away from the Village of Roses."

"The Village of WHAT?" 

"Roses."

"Is there also a village of Uleys?" 

"What do you mean, Finn?" She realizes ten seconds later. "Don't bring my abusive past because I accidentally brought yours! I did not mean it." 

"Sorry, I had... awful flashbacks!"

Finn and Leah keep walking when they are surrounded by bandits with wakizashis, pistols and rifles. 

"Hands on the air and drop everything you carry!"

Finn and Leah do so. Then, while the bandits lower their guard, the former pushes half of them backwards with the Force and the latter moves faster than the human eye can see and punches out the rest. 

"It's a great idea of you bandits to mug two guys who take on many va..."

"Varieties of criminals." Leah interrupts. "Go away and never come back." 

Bandits sometimes overestimate themselves. They try to rob not just civilians, but experienced hunters and sometimes Yokai. Once a gang had the brilliant idea to try to kill an Onryoki for loot. The same Onryoki Commander Saber beat by the skin of his teeth. The bandits lasted only seconds. 

Finn and Leah, in spite of the complaints of the former, get to the Village of Roses. They find some Bone Samurai patrolling. One of them spots them both and informs the others. They charge at the duo, who know that they will have to put up an actual fight. Finn pushes the front line back with the Force and draws his blaster to start shooting. His accuracy and choice of weapon allows him to kill some skeletons before thet even get close. Leah uses her physical strength to lift a boulder and sends it straight at the Bone Samurai, crushing three at once. Some manage to get close, but those who don't fall to Finn's lightsaber get defeated by Leah's steel pipe. Leah actually gets a jab by one of them, but it starts healing after the fight.

Their next encounter is against a few Oni-Bi surrounded by flames or ice. These are flying sculls that are surrounded by an element and also spit small projectiles of it. Finn keeps his distance and destroys some with his accurate blaster bolts, while Leah uses the Six-Sided Strike to take out six of these spirits at once. 

"These enemies look a bit too easy." Finn observes as he dodges a snowball. 

Leah dodges a little fireball. "Either we have made a lot of progress, or these are the weakest Yokai and we haven't seen their leaders."

"I think it's both. Remember that Umi-Bozu?" 

"Sadly, yes."

The Padawan and the werewolf are looking for possible enemy bases. As they do, they spot two Gaki. These Yokai are fast, but not really strong. Leah stakes one in the heart quickly. As it dies, the other eats it, to Finn's horror... and it becomes bigger. 

It lunges at Leah and grabs her. It's about to bite the Native American's head off... but Finn fires his blaster and shoots both eyes of the creature. After Leah breaks free, she unleashes rapid punches. 

The flurry of fists is enough to kill the Gaki. 

The two eventually reach the camp of the enemy. The Yokai are clever enough to create wooden fences and platforms for the archers. 

"Ok, Leah... I take out the bowmen. You smash this door." 

"Roger roger."

Finn uses the Force to guide his shots. And holds the blaster with both hands. "You start when I shoot their first archer." 

The first bolt to the head wounds the Yokai guard heavily and they all focus on Finn, who dodges the shots and starts shooting at their heads. An arrow grazes his arm, but he manages to shoot three archers dead. Leah, uninhibited, punches the gate open and faces Gaki and Enki, Yokai that are like monkeys.

She lands a left hook to the first Enki and dodges a pounce of a Gaki before stabbing it with her stake three times. Then she slides under an Enki's punch and lands four punches to its gut. 

An arrow finds its way to Finn's knee. He retaliates by gunning down all enemies but one. That last archer fires an arrow at the dark-skinned human. Finn just stands there and extends his hand. The arrow just stops in mid-air. Then Finn shoots the Yokai twice in the head and kills him. 

"Now, let's find Leah."

Leah uses her steel pipe to clobber a Gaki, but an Enki stabs her with its spear. A Gaki grabs hold of her and bites her. When Finn gets there, he rolls under a thrown spear by an Enki and stabs the Yokai ape in the stomach. Then he attacks the enemies who have pinned down Leah. He even uses the Force to knock them back. 

The two fight back to back again, repelling all the Yokai coming at them. Leah shifts into her wolf form and bites a Gaki before it can eat another injured Gaki. Then she dodges a spear and pounces at an Enki.

She manages to bite the Yokai's arm off, while Finn uses his lightsaber to slash two Gaki at once. Then he performs a spin attack and strikes three more enemies at once. He finally dodges an Enki's jab and Force Pushes it back. It charges with its unicorn horn, landing a surprise hit to Finn. But he gets back up and slashes the demon twice with his lightsaber.

After all the Yokai are defeated, the two enter the Village of Roses. 

Meanwhile, Poe Dameron and Q lead a squad of rebels to Osaka to free it from oppression. Outside of Osaka, they find a blockade of Agents who attack from two sides with guns. However, the Agents are soon outmatched. And, as they flee, they get gunned down by the Children ot Oda Nobunaga. 

The Children had two missions. One was to capture a man who was calling himself the reincarnation of Mori Ranmaru, Nobunaga's most loyal servant, and the other was to destroy both the Agents and Stormwolf to rule Japan uninhibited. 

Poe was surprised to find himself facing blasters on this planet, but he was good enough with his own blaster to still take them on. BB-8 fires coins at the Children to distract them and also tazes some. Q uses his invisibility and sniper rifle to take the enemies on. Then he also uses some new inventions. The D-Coys, which are holograms that are active for a period of time and are also realistic. He finally uses a battle drone that has a machine gun. 

Of course, their army has also good enough training and organization, and fierce determination. Even without Rey or even Finn, they are quite effective in combat. 

However, the Children of Oda Nobunaga aren't an ordinary gang. One of them has modified his blaster in a way that it fires a rocket from the side and obliterates a rebel, as secondary fire. They also unleash battle drones with machine guns and some of them are ninjas who use Uchigatanas, Sai, rockets and shuriken.

A black ninja fires a rocket at the D-Coy Q created and it passes through the hologram. Q's drone guns down two yellow ninjas and a green one, but an enemy drone shoots it down quickly. Two rebels drop dead by blaster bolts, but Poe shoots an enemy in the chest and puts him down. Then he hurls a detonator at the enemies and blows up two gunmen, but any nearby ninjas dodge it by jumping away. One hits Poe with a shuriken, but Dameron's armor saves him.

Neither side seems to be giving up. BB-8 electrocutes a ninja, knocking him unconscious, and then lures six terrorists to a trap of the rebels... however, two of those managed to back off in the last second and only the other four got killed. Q unleashes the Spydor Mines and fires with his Drill Blaster, and almost turns the tide... 

Then the Children come with reinforcements. Apparently, the new units are actual samurai with katanas and hard armor. They have surprisingly good reflexes and charge like wild bulls. There is also air support, three kamikaze planes. The first samurai takes twenty bullets in the torso to go down and managed to defeat two rebels beforehand. 

Poe orders his men to retreat. He throws a detonator to slow the enemy down and then gets back to the ships... on the ground he is competent, but on air or space he is almost invincible. As the Hydra had cruelly reminded him, almost. The ground forces wait, having laid numerous traps. 

Stormwolf could never beat the vampires with brute force, they always used their heads. Poe, too, knows he can claim victory by outsmarting a stronger enemy.

Ten minutes later, he pilots his X-Wing and fires his blasters at the kamikaze planes. The first one comes crashing to the ground and goes for the ground forces, but is shot again and blown up in mid-air.

Meanwhile, in the Village of Roses, Finn and Leah are hailed as heroes for saving the population from the Yokai. 

"To be honest" Leah responds "these weren't the hardest Yokai I have ever seen." 

"Really? Even Mezuki and Gozuki?" 

"... who?" 

"Two strong Yokai, the leaders of this area's demons. They are the torturers of the wicked, used to interrogate enemies of the Yokai lords. They are sadistic. Merciless. Gozuki, who has the head of a bull, and Mezuki, who has the head of a horse. Gozuki has mighty horns and enjoys tossing his victims in the air. He uses the horns for torture. He also wields a club. Mezuki has also horns and a big sword. He is weaker, but more skilled than the Gozuki. Beware of his ghostly projectiles."

Finn and Leah know which one each can take on already. Finn is the better match for Mezuki, while Leah is more suitable for Gozuki.

"We already destroyed the local enemy camp." Finn tells the villagers. "Where are the two big Yokai?" 

"They are resting in a valley to the North. Beware, for they have no problem with killing and eating people. And their minions are still a competent force, even with the massive blow you two gave them."

The Mayor of the village adds "Also, now that you destroyed their outpost, they will become more cautious. Novice hunters can defeat Enkis and Oni-Bi, maybe even a Yoki if they can outsmart it. But Mezuki and Gozuki are far beyond these lesser Yokai. I hope you two have some powers and experience, or you will be no match for them." 

Leah Clearwater reminds herself of everything they have faced. Italy... the Boar News Tower... Greece... Egypt... La Push, of course... and Finn also remembers Starkiller, Supermacy, Exegol... after he destroyed Benjamin, he never considered himself a failure again. He beat a superhuman among superhumans, even by outsmarting. 

"Ok." Finn responds. "I think we can take them. Fear not, because they will not hurt an innocent ever again!"

"Finn... some more humility would not hurt." 

"I know."

As Finn and Leah prepare for the mission, Rey has a vision because of her malicious grandfather. 

"My graddaughter... do you believe the Dark One is a lesser evil than me still?" 

"Well, at least HE didn't murder my parents. At least _he did not kill his own family, like you or Kylo!_ "

"Yeah. I killed my family without them hurting me. I must be the victim in your eyes then! Oh, maybe I forgot. I do not look good. Ha ha ha... 

If Ben did not sacrifice himself to save your hide, if I did not kill you, if I did not absorb your connection... do you think you would still win? Do you think the Dark Side would not triumph? I want you to see... 

... what would happen when the Dark One would eventually take full control of you!"

Rey observes herself in Ahch-To. She is wearing her Jedi robe and standing on her knees, with her head lowered down. Ben is in front of her, fully healed and away from every consequence because he was the son of Han and Leia. 

"I am sorry, Ben. Sorry for resisting when you took me.  
Sorry for closing the door on you on Crait. Sorry for making you throw me into a tree. I was about to shoot you, that was really bad of me!"

Rey wants to rush at her vision self and slap her really, really hard. No. This weakling is not her. 

Later, she sees herself teaching the Padawans. She had become a great Jedi, inspiring people with her values. 

"Tell me, Temiri, which are the things that make a Jedi?" 

"Uhm... bravery, compassion for the oppressed, empathy..."

Vision Rey slaps him hard in the face. "No! The things that make a Jedi are skin color, gender, bloodline, and above all else, power. Power is what everyone should strive for."

Actual Rey looks ready to kill something. With her bare hands. 

The vision continues. Rey, after talking to Ben about how he is the only family she ever had, how he is the only one who understands her... meanwhile, the people who actually stood by Rey's side, even when she was reluctant, like Leia, Poe, BB-8 and especially Finn, aren't even mentioned. For this Rey, only Kylo, the man who kept hurting her, mattered. And how couldn't he! Everything he did, from the kidnapping and mind invasion to all these fights, was out of true love! 

Then Rey goes on a mission and sees a rapist attacking a woman. She takes a knife and wounds him. Rey, since the rapist was attractive, Force Heals him and tells the woman to apologize to him for hurting him.

"But it was self-defence!"

"Apologize. It might change him."

"WHAT?"

Rey Mind Tricks the woman into apologizing. "Do not forget to take his hand."

Then she finds a slaver, selling his "merchandise". Under the influence of the imprint, Rey sees the trafficker as poor little Ben and taps his shoulder. "I feel sorry for you. You must be the real victim here." She did not even bat an eye to the poor slaves. They weren't powerful. They did not matter. They were just numbers, and nobody cared about their families and loved ones.

Actual Rey pukes. She is not ok with this fuckery.

Finally, Rey sees Finn about to come to see the vision of her... only for Vision Rey to violently push him away. 

"What do you want here? To complain about how I treat you? About how I chose Ben over you, in spite of what each did to me or for me? Face it, Finn! You come from nothing, you aren't worthy to be a Jedi, I want nothing to do with you!"

"Why?" 

"Because you lied to me once about your past! You might have been risking your life for me, but I did not want you to! Ben kidnapped and used me out of his pure love for me! He is strong! You are weak!" 

That was _enough._

Rey finally interacts with the vision. "Hey, cheap copy of me! SHUT UP!"

And she is brought back to reality.

Where Palpatine appears as a vision again.

"This is the monster the Dark One would make you. What do you plan to do?"

**"Kill him."**

The actual Ben Solo, meanwhile, tries to find new ways to undermine Emperor Palpatine and the demons. He has a little problem. After the Dyad was broken and everyone looked at his actions, nobody trusted him anymore. He can't warn Finn or Rey himself to truly atone. He decides to do so in a karmic way. Which better way to correct your actions as a whitewashed criminal than to be an unsung hero? 

He warns the Force Ghost of Leia, the one who still trusts him, to guide both Rey and Finn to make sure neither gets corrupted. 

"Mother... please, hear me. I think Palpatine is still trying to corrupt Rey, even in death. And that's not all. Eff... uhm, Finn, he is embarking on a very hard quest. Having visited Cocytus, I know exactly what the enemy is capable of! Please, protect them! They will not trust me, I do not deserve it. But you, Mom. You are trustworthy." 

"I know, my son. You have done enough. Rest in Purgatory..." 

Back to Japan, Poe and his men keep fighting the Children of Oda Nobunaga. Dameron has shot down all enemy planes, but retreats when an anti-aircraft gun almost does him in. Q sneaks to the gun, using a D-Coy to distract the enemies and ducking stray bullets from the enemy drones. He eventually reaches the big gun and destroys it with the Drill Blaster. However, even cloaked, because of the noise he gets spotted and a blaster bolt grazes him.

One of the samurai has a shield and blocks many enemy bullets. Then he sends a fireball and burns an Egyptian rebel. However, the bullets eventually break his shield. The samurai manages to kill a Man of Crete with a second fireball, but eventually he falls before the concentrated fire. 

The Children of Oda Nobunaga, despite putting up a valiant fight, are forced to retreat. Poe, BB-8 and Q elect to bury their men, and even the enemies. 

The surviving Children return to the base, where their leader awaits. "Did you eliminate the rebels?" 

"No, but we did manage to weaken them a lot."

"Good. Master might not tolerate failure... but I am not Master, and I only punish cowardice. I feel... merciful." 

Then the man who is supposedly a reincarnation of Mori Ranmaru is brought before the organization mastermind. 

"We got him. He managed to injure one of us with his tantõ, but we managed to overpower him."

"Great. I want to talk to this man."

"Mori" speaks up. "Why did you try to arrest me?" 

"Because you call yourself a reincarnation of Ranmaru. The most loyal follower of Oda Nobunaga. I know a lot about Mori Ranmaru, you see... and what I know is that he would never think of raping a reincarnation or descendant of Nobunaga to show his affection, because he respects Lord Nobunaga! You had no problem with sexually assaulting one. And, to be honest, that sleazebag was not a worthy reincarnation. He would alter history, but then a black man with a blaster shot him dead."

"It would be to save the soul of a tormented spirit!"

"A spirit wants sexual assault to be satisfied? And you go and do it? Instead of trying to vanquish the spirit? What, are you also selling people out to our Yokai tyrants for the Greater Good, too?" 

"They are not tyrants!"

"I am not surprised. I don't even believe you are a reincarnation of Ranmaru. Do you know why?" 

The leader of the children draws Fudõ and stabs the other man in the throat. "Because you, imposter, disgrace me. You think all of my life revolved around just doing the nasty with Oda Nobunaga. You ignored the loyalty, the dedication I truly had to him. I know, because...

_...I am the reincarnation of Ranmaru._ "

The other Ranmaru drops dead, with black blood coming from the wound in his throat. He proves to be an incubus in disguise.

"Scum." Ranmaru turns to his underlings. "Thanks for giving me my favorite tantõ. By the way, about you who fought Stormwolf... did you find the two who killed that disgrace that called himself Nobunaga?"

"No. Nobody fit these descriptions. There was a man with a blaster, but he was mostly white. I would say he was a Latino. He was a very good pilot."

"Hmmm... I have to train myself now. Soon, I will achieve my dream!"

Meanwhile, the two who did kill the false Nobunaga get to the lair of Mezuki and Gozuki. Enki come forward to stop them, but they are no match for the lightsaber and steel pipe of justice. Neither are the Gaki who try to flank them, or even the Bone Samurai. Soon they encounter Light Yokai Cavalry on their vampiric horses. 

"Well" Leah turns to Finn "now it _is_ a time for you to ride me."

She changes into her wolf form and Finn gets on top of her. He is familiar with horses, but a big wolf is not the exact same. He trusts the Force to guide him so he can fight wolfback. With one hand and his legs he holds on Leah and with the other he slashes enemies with his saber. 

"This is amazing! We should do this more often!"

Finn uses the Force to knock a Yokai out of his horse and then he parries a spear with his lightsaber. Leah lunges at an Enki and tears his arm off, but gets stabbed by a spear in the ribs. Finn cuts off the head of another Yokai with his lightsaber and slashes at another rider. 

"Whoo! This feels good!" 

In the end he lifts a boulder with the Force and crushes six Gaki and Enki. One of the Light Yokai Cavalry uses his yari and manages to throw him off Leah, but she lunges at the demon and bites his leg off. Then she also bites the vampiric horse and the Yokai falls off. Because of his earlier injury, he dies.

A Bone Samurai fires a kunai, but Finn draws his blaster and shoots it in mid-air. Then he shoots three more kunai and the enemy. The last Gaki is defeated by Leah, who lunges at it still in wolf form while it was trying to eat its fallen comrades to grow stronger. 

Then Leah shifts into her human form. She thanks God she learned to regain her clothes and gear through magic when she changed back into a human. Otherwise, she would feel extremely uncomfortable...

And even if she wouldn't, her partner in crime _definetely_ would.

"I have to say, Finn, your lightsaber wielding was impressive!" 

"I say we do this again some time! I enjoyed this a lot!"

"Me too." Leah responds, wiping the sweat off Finn's forehead. 

As they pass by, they still can't see the ever-present sublimal messages. 

"RACE DEFINES ALL"

"HUMANS AND CATTLE HAVE NO DIFFERENCE"

"STALKING IS LOVE"

Finn and Leah keep advancing, fending off zombies who wield pickaxes, broken wooden swords or even nothing at all, and some Oni-Bi. At one point, Finn gets hit by a snowball, but Leah kills the attacking Oni-Bi with her wooden stake. 

The duo even encounters a Biwa Boku-Boku. It looks like a man with a violin... or better, a violin with a man. It summons Oni-Bi with its music, but Leah uses her pipe and Finn his blaster to fight them off.

The Biwa Boku-Boku attacks Finn with magical energy notes. Finn tries to dodge them, but one hits him and knocks him down. He gets up and fires his blaster at both the biwa itself, the musical instrument, and an Oni-Bi the Yokai summoned as an ally. After he defeats both with his blaster, Finn leads Leah deeper in the lair... where Mezuki and Gozuki, the two torturers, await eagerly. 

The last obstacle between Finn, Leah and the two strong Yokai is a muscular Yoki. Finn shoots him in the chest, but the burly Yoki barely feels it. Leah turns into her wolf form and lunges at the Yoki. After pouncing, she lands rapid bites until she kills him. 

This causes Mezuki and Gozuki to take action immediately.

Gozuki charges like ten wild bulls at once and strikes Finn, sending him flying backwards. Leah grits her teeth and dashes faster than a human can see, punching Gozuki rapidly. 

"ORA ORA ORA ORA ORA ORA ORA ORA ORA!"

However, she did a big mistake. She forgot Mezuki, who fires a Soul Bolt, a projectile with a spectral face on it. It hits her and stuns her long enough for Mezuki to fire a Silver Arrow from his mouth. It would be the end of Leah...

However, the arrow slows down and gets shot by Finn's blaster! "Hey! I am still here!"

Mezuki charges at Finn and slashes at him with his giant sword, but Finn dodges the strike and retaliates with his lightsaber. Mezuki easily parries with his own sword, which is durable enough to resist lightsabers. Finn tries a Force Push but he only succeeds at pushing Mezuki slightly backwards, not even knocking him down. Then he has to dodge as Mezuki fires Soul Bolts... however, they are homing. Finn fails to avoid them and gets injured. 

Meanwhile, Leah dodges Gozuki's charge, still in human form, and manages to get some hits in with her steel pipe. Then she lands a flying kick. But Gozuki kicks her back and strikes her with another charge. Then he toys with her using his horns, sending her from one to another.

Finally, when he makes sure her bones are broken, he equips a giant club and strikes Leah as if she was a ball of baseball. She lands to a wall of the lair with a thud, while the wall is painted with her blood. 

Meanwhile, Finn barely dodges the charge of Mezuki and gets behind him, shooting him six times with his blaster. Mezuki turns and summons more Soul Bolts. Finn can sense these being created from ghosts of people Mezuki killed. He parries them with his lightsaber, but Mezuki leaps high and performs a mighty slam with his big sword, breaking Finn's guard and knocking him down. Then he weakens him further with his fiery breath. 

Finn manages to evade a decapitating strike, but Gozuki chucks a rock at him. Finn deflects it with the Force and positions himself in a way he won't get surrounded. He uses the Force to hurl a stone at Mezuki, but the Yokai cuts it in half with his sword. 

Leah, thanks to her healing factor, manages to finally get up. "No, not yet... I still can't move..." 

Finn keeps dodging all attacks. But while he shoots a rock coming from Gozuki, Mezuki wounds him with Soul Bolts and strikes his chest with his mighty sword, wounding him badly. Finn struggles to get up and uses something he always had for desperate measures. A Thermal Detonator, strong enough to blow up an AT-AT! He throws it and heavily injures both demons... but fails to kill either. 

And they are pretty pissed off. 

"This thing was way too strong. This human is dangerous, Gozuki!"

"You can eat him. I want to eat his girlfriend."

Finn is afraid. He steps backwards, frantically shooting at the two Yokai. "Get away from me! Leave me alone!"

The shots do damage, but only minor. The two Yokai are slowly but steadily approaching. Finn throws two rocks at once, but the Yokai deflect them with their weapons. They keep closing the distance, and Finn knows he doesn't stand a chance against both up close.

But then he remembers he is not alone.

Leah has recovered enough to fight. She moves in her wolf form and at full speed, performing the Six Sided Strike. She hits each big Yokai three times and staggers both.

Finn has felt so relieved to see Leah only once before, when she saved him from the vampires in Egypt. 

"Finn! They are stronger than us... but they are not smarter than us! Find their weakness! We have to use our heads!" 

Finn understands. "I take the horse, you take the bull!"

Then he taunts Mezuki. "Hey, horseface! I surrender and want to be eaten! Come and get me!"

Mezuki takes the bait and charges with his horns, ready to kill the dark-skinned Padawan. If the attack connects, the black warrior is defeated. But Finn is fast enough to shoot the Mezuki in the head! Then he manages to perform a front flip and get above the monster, who has been slowed down and somewhat dazed by the blaster bolt. 

Finn draws his lightsaber and runs his blue lightsaber across the back of Mezuki's neck. The saber still gets through the big Yokai's spinal cord and makes an awful line until the end. 

The mighty Yokai, despite his strength and durability, drops down dead. 

Gozuki, meanwhile, performs a slam with his big club, but Leah dodges, jumps on the club and launches herself upwards. Then she gets on top of the Yokai's head and rips his horns off with her bare hands, staggering him! Then she stabs his head with them, making him bleed! As he is staggered, Leah approaches, really, really pissed off. 

"Now with what will you toy with your victims?" 

The Gozuki can't find the strength to respond. 

"You and Mezuki... are monsters. And I will treat you as such." Leah says in a low voice. Then she cracks her knuckles and closes her hands into fists...

"ORA ORA ORA ORA ORA ORA ORA ORA ORA ORA ORA ORA ORA ORA ORA ORA!!!"

With the last Ora the Gozuki drops deceased, with broken face and bones. 

Finn and Leah make a fistbump.

It's an important day for Finn and Leah. They managed to beat two very powerful Yokai by themselves and save a village from oppression. The Two Tormentors were a big threat and had teamwork, but so were Stormwolf. 

"Leah, after this, we are going to an arcade. I propose to play some rail shooters... Japan is the country with most arcades, am I right?"

"Absoultely. And I am going to kick your sorry ass when we do so, like I did with Gozuki."

"Definetely you will. Like the last time. You are far more experienced as a gamer, but I am the better shooter in real life. So, you will go down like Mezuki."

"Not happening! Even when I lose to you, I am always struck in the chest!"

"That's true. To be honest, though, we really do need another break. I believe we should spend some time to have fun."

"Yes, but... the only problem with the games that we usually play is that we shoot monsters. Ok, for me it is something new, since I do not shoot, but for you?" 

"For me it's a way to warm my shooting up. I remember the holographic simulations of the First Order... one of the few moments Phasma was actually nice to me was when she saw me actually shooting enemy projectiles, like stones. In mid-air. For some reason, most rail shooters have this gimmick, which I adore... "

"When you are finished with your shooters, we can also play a brawler... I don't know if games make you better in real life, but the opposite can more easily be true. And I am better at close quarters than you."

"Damn right... except maybe if we count weapons."

"It's not my fault I have a wooden stake and you have a fucking lightsaber!"

"Don't act like you have any problems with my lightsaber, Leah!"

"Well, I suppose it makes you good at vampire hunting, am I right?" 

And the two leave the lair of the Two Tormentors, holding hands. Both wanted someone to take their hand. And both found someone to do so.

As the duo return to the base, where Leah plans to play with her pet mouse, whom she kept home for his safety, and Finn plans to share this story with his friends Poe and Q, they have no idea they are wanted.

America, Forks. 

The once proud and powerful Cullen family is in ruins. 

A girl in a woman's body is still weeping for her poor parents. They were a happy, rich family. Filthy rich, in fact. They didn't have many struggles in their eternal life. They were immortal, rich, with not so many dangers. 

Everything changed after the Fall of Volterra. 

Vampires showed themselves as superior, all-powerful, and they were sure no human could ever harm them. And that their society is a secret and those worthless plebs, who are only worth as food, have no idea about their existence. 

But then Finn and Leah met and destroyed the Volturi, managing to kill everyone despite a lot of struggle. They showed the world that vampires exist, and even worse, that they can be defeated by humanity. And, beforehand, Jacob Black and part of his pack, the allies of the Cullens, got slaughtered for dating infants or forcing women to be with them with violence by the true power in the supernatural, the Black Legion.

This turn of events made one of the members of the family, Bella, be curious about the human who helped the fall of the strongest vampire coven. Not only was he a friend of that filthy bitch, Leah, but he didn't even have the decency to be Caucasian. He was as worthless as her. Bella didn't kill a human in her life before, but she wanted to stop him from threatening her kind. She wanted to make him feel helpless. To break his spirit. She should have gone for the kill.

Her humiliating death at the human's hands upset her mate. He could not move on without her. He valued her more than his own life. He was watching her sleep. His love was so strong, so strong... he set himself on fire.

And now their daughter stands alone. She was used to getting everything handed to her. She was practically the center of the world! Nothing ever got wrong for her, how could it? She never had to experience work, ailments, poverty, struggles. She had her family, and she had a groom since she was born. 

She lost everything but her fortune in the span of a few months and was forced to live by herself. She wanted revenge from these people. They ruined her. They ruined her life. And she plans to use her money to make them pay.

Through the Yokai, she learned that Finn and Leah are in Japan. She thinks of sending someone to kill them, since she isn't strong enough to do so and her parents taught her to only fight when she could win. 

As she is thinking, a man appears before her. He wears full armor, leaving nothing exposed, and has a horned helmet which covers the face completely, except for the eyes. 

He wields a fearsome Riot Baton and a blaster.

"Hello, stranger! I am Renesmee! You can call me Nessie! What's your name?" 

"I am the Loyalist. And I am here for you. Al, our great Minister of Truth, informed me that a certain traitor and a bitter harpy are in Japan. Are you the woman who placed two million on their heads?" 

Nessie confirms it enthusiastically. 

"Hmmm..." the Loyalist responds. "I am going to do it for free. I enjoy hunting traitors of the government." 

"I want only two things for you, oh mighty Loyalist. Find them... and kill them."

"I will." The Loyalist bows down his head.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hopefully everyone enjoyed this!
> 
> Liked the inclusion of Renesmee as an antagonist? 
> 
> Opinions about Ranmaru, the Two Tormentors and Rey's vision?
> 
> Are you interested in the Loyalist?
> 
> What about the Nutty Poet? 
> 
> More of the Poet and the Loyalist in next chapters!


	25. The Rising Sun

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Stormwolf attempts a very risky attack. However, someone else has the same plan.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Finally, I have all free time in the world!
> 
> This includes fights (yet again), Rey attempting her revenge and the Loyalist fighting! Enjoy!

"To your right, Leah! They are coming!"

"Shoot them, Finn!"

"They are too many!"

The zombies are indeed numerous, and one manages to claw Finn, but they all get shot dead. Deader than before.

"Wohoo! We make a great team!"

"I know." 

The duo advance and gun down more undead...

Until they encounter a fat giant that is immune to bullets. "Finn... his name is Temperance? Seriously?"

"It should be Gluttony. Look! He is jiggling more than any vampire woman I have ever seen!"

"The sad thing is, you do speak from experience..."

The two start shooting at Temperance, but their bullets are only slowing the colossal mass of lard down without doing damage. Temperance is rolling at them, but shots make him flinch. However, he jumps upwards and sits on both of them. 

"Shit! He must weigh over ten tons!"

The duo runs and encounters some zombies. Leah is struck and knocked out. Finn has to advance by himself. He shoots all the zombies and sees a clock. "This could work!"

So, he starts climbing the clock tower, getting rid of flying gargoyles. But Temperance spots him and takes cover behind a column. Finn only gets to shoot him thrice before the giant uses a brass knuckle to punch through the column and him. 

Finn dies.

"Damn!" Leah comments. "This is the cheapest boss in history of bosses! How did we stop that roll, I have no idea!" 

"And that last hit! How did they expect me NOT to get hit? Judging by the altering of the environment, maybe we are supposed to get hit once!"

"So they can leech coins?" 

"But, otherwise, the game was actually pretty good!"

"I loved the third boss! Her chainsaws and the chase in general was something really good!" 

"Wait... it was a SHE?" 

"Yes. The Empress. But my favorite is The Lovers. Those two codependent, spineless predators. They reminded me so much of Bella and Edward!"

"Who?"

"The vampire woman you staked and her mate."

"Who?" 

Some explanation later...

"Oh, these guys. You should have told me 'the idiot who bragged about how I am a clumsy human'. Yeah, the other idiot committed suicide. Everyone would mourn, but suicide? Now I get it."

"Good thing we shot those bitches down."

Leah and Finn leave the arcade they were in. They failed to win the game they chose with three coins each, but they had a lot of fun playing it.

Outside, their friends await them! Poe, Q, Little Finn, and BB-8. 

"We were checking for any crimes."

"Fortunately, nothing happened!"

They all go for a walk, talking about movies and similar things. After the Two Tormentors were defeated and the Children of Oda Nobunaga repelled, Stormwolf established themselves as a strong player in Japan. However, they did have big casualties and the Yokai haven't even got that much damage, while the Children still stand their ground. 

However, the two factions are busy fighting against each other. It started when the Yokai assaulted a stronghold of the Children from four sides two weeks ago. Even though the ninjas and the men with the blasters put up a really good fight, and there was a very big, muscular samurai who managed to slay seven Yoki by himself using his big dual katanas, in the end the Children were overwhelmed. Many of them were captured, while others got slaughtered. The big samurai had been killed when Mezuki had entered the battlefield and challenged him to a duel.

But the deaths of Mezuki and Gozuki gave Ranmaru's forces the opening they really needed to free their men. He was not the only officer to be a reincarnation of Nobunaga's generals. His right hand man is Shibata Katsuie. Reincarnation of a competent General of Oda Nobunaga, he was one of the best gang members.

Ten minutes ago, he went alone to Tokyo to free his imprisoned comrades. Katsuie never stood a chance. The moment he set foot, multiple Yokai Archers and Oni-Bi with small balls of fire, ice, poison or even lightning and water shot him. Even if Katsuie was a magic user, he truly never stood a chance.

However, brawn is not everything in a battle! 

Katsuie wasn't a fool, and he knew he could never stand a chance alone against the supernatural. He had sent a clone using the technique of Mirror Image to lure all the enemies there. Then he ambushed them all from many angles with his many soldiers. His dual hatchets could harm the mighty Yokai, especially Oni-Bi and Yokai Archers. The melee Yokai came soon, Enki with their spears and Light Yokai Infantry with their Uchigatanas. Fox spirits came too, ready to fight. They managed to ambush and kill two troops who had blasters before the Children fought back.

Now Shibata has eliminated the enemies unscratched, having killed sixteen Yokai by himself. His men have lost thirty four troops of many types, while there are many wounded. But they did it. They beat the Yokai.

Or so they thought.

Currently, they are walking close to Tokyo itself! Zombies and Agents are no match for Katsuie's marching army. However, they find themselves facing a tall wall, which was made by Yokai and slaves alike. A wall guarded by enemies far tougher than those who were there before. Katsuie sees many arrows coming at him and blocks them all with a Ki Blast. It also succeeds at blocking bullets. His ninjas fire rockets at the defenders and take a few out, but one is shot in the head by an arrow and explodes due to the dynamites at his belt. 

The Boar News play, informing everyone about the terrorist attack on Tokyo. 

Poe Dameron hears the news. "This is our chance. If we strike the prison while the enemy is distracted, we might find ourselves new allies. We have to help the Children of Oda Nobunaga."

However, he and his friends aren't the only ones who hear that... 

Fifteen minutes later, Finn and Leah take a train to Tokyo incognito, while the others go as an army. Little Finn stays with Finn and Leah.

Poe's forces use tanks and ships to go forward. They almost get to Tokyo uninhibited... however, they encounter Bazooker Boys, Haregirls and Throwers. The Throwers are zombies who hurl axes. The battle is a bit one-sided in Poe's favor, since his forces have vehicles... until the enemy whips out their own colossal machine. The Heartcrusher, which looks partially like a robotic dinosaur with many different weapons. 

"Take on the infantry!" Poe Dameron commands. "My fleet and I go for the mech!" 

They get to attack range... and fire proton torpedoes! All at once! 

The mech is filled with holes, but is far from defeated. It retaliates with machine guns strong enough to penetrate the armor of the X-Wings and fast enough to keep up with them. Even Poe gets hit by the machine guns. "BB-8, I got hit! Please, repair the damage!"

Meanwhile, Q is inside his car and massacring the enemy troops with his new turret, Spydor Mines and battering ram. The car's armor is improved, able to deflect axes. However, the Desert Eagles of the Haregirls still damage the vehicle.

And the morale of the warriors drops when the Heartcrusher launches a volley of rockets at the ships and shoots down three.

However, the armed transport with the former Stormtroopers attack the Heartcrusher with its heavy blasters. Its armor can barely deflect the machine guns. The Heartcrusher has an even stronger armor...however, a blaster is stronger than a machine gun!

Some former Stormtroopers deploy on the ground and start shooting at the Agents with their blasters. Trained by Finn and Jannah and having a motivation they never had in the First Order, the Stormtroopers are far more effective than while still in the Order. One of them gets killed by a thrown axe in the neck, but the others retaliate by taking down the Thrower who threw the axe. Two werewolves get blown up by a rocket and howl in despair. Meanwhile, a Man of Crete picks up a blaster of a fallen former Stormtrooper and guns down a Haregirl.

As that battle rages on, Katsuie sees that his army is thinning! He slashes two Gaki with his hatchets quickly and uses Ki Blast to block a Yoki's fireball. Then he attacks with Ki Boar, sending a powerful energy boar that charges at the Yoki and kills it immediately. Katsuie sends more Ki Boars while fending off the Yokai hordes. Even a mighty Crystal Fiend gets destroyed in the assault. Shibata uses his dual hatchets to fight off a Gaki who was about to bite one of his men, while another trooper of his throws two kunai at a Yokai Archer. 

For a moment, it seems his assault will be successful. 

Then reinforcements arrive. 

Many Moblins and zombies with wooden gear. They are actually weaker than the Yokai, but they are many. The Children fire their blasters at the new threat and manage to gun a lot of them down. Katsuie sends an energy axe at a red Moblin, killing him instantly. Even though he is wounded by a Yokai Archer in the waist, he keeps fighting on. 

That is, until the actual reinforcements arrive. The first are the fodder, and they are still many. Now Imps, Stygians and Goatmen arrive, as well as a Golden Moblin with a Fire Crossbow and a poisoned dagger. But that is only the liutenant. The true leader is the humanoid with the horned helmet and the Riot Baton. 

The Loyalist himself. He orders the Golden Moblin to fire at the Children of Oda Nobunaga. 

"As you wish." The enhanced crossbow is not just fiery, but automatic, and the arrows pierce the target. Soon, the Golden Moblin has massacred twenty enemies with it. Meanwhile, Imp Lords kill some more cultists with their green fireballs, while a samurai manages to kill three Lesser Stygians effortlessly, but loses badly against an Elite Stygian. 

Katsuie manages to slay an Imp with his short axes. "Retreat! I order all of you to retreat!" 

"You?" 

"I am going to stay and die like a hero! Like a samurai!"

"We will not leave you! We die together!" 

So, these warriors fight to the last man! They make a row with their blasters and fire away, managing to take out over twenty five zombies, Moblins and lesser demons! 

However, the Yokai send even better units. The Rokurokubi, with their long necks, who use them to easily avoid headshots, Ippon-Datara who have one leg, one eye and one very heavy hammer each and finally Raven Tengus and Crystal Fiends.

An Ippon-Datara fights three samurai and flattens all of them with his hammer. A ninja charges with his Wakizashi, but he gets bitten in half by a Rokurokubi. 

Katsuie realizes he isn't getting out of here alive. "Well, let's take as many as I can." He clenches his muscles, charges his Ki... and unleashes the Ki Master, a deadly wave in the entire area! It takes out fourty enemies at once. 

However, this draws the attention of the Loyalist, who draws his blaster and fires one-handed, killing six enemies with blasters easily. Then he draws his Riot Baton and charges like a hundred wild bulls at Katsuie. The warlord dashes at the Loyalist, attempting to cut him down to size.

However, the two aren't equals in skill. The Loyalist dodges every single attack with no effort at all. He retaliates with a kick to the man's stomach and starts spinning his baton, not even breaking a sweat. He manages, while twirling the baton, to parry every single strike and strike the general square in the chest. Then he lands a spin kick to his face and is about to break his scull!

Nevertheless, a ninja throws a shuriken at the Loyalist... which he bats away with his baton. Then he proceeds to smash Katsuie's scull with one crushing blow. 

He turns to the ninja and shoots him dead.

Meanwhile, in a train, Finn and Leah are amazed by its speed. It's almost as fast as some ships in the former's Galaxy. Leah is feeding her pet mouse some cheese. 

"Was it a good idea to leave the army, Leah? They might be risking their lives while we..."

"Finn. We are not going to run away. We are going to fight. The reason we separated was so we two could reach the destination earlier and save any political prisoners. If we get spotted, we are in a bigger danger than our friends." 

The two take a stop when they see a vampire preying on a man. Finn shoots the vampire in the head, forcing him to turn and let the human go. Blaster bolts hurt vampires, but aren't really dangerous. The bloodsucker charges, but Leah gets between the two men and stakes the creature of the night. 

The two also see a couple getting mugged by three thugs. Finn draws his blaster and shoots the two dead quickly, while Leah dashes really fast and whacks the third with her steel pipe.

They get the next train when they reach the station... only to encounter a gang of ninjas. They aren't the Children of Oda Nobunaga. In fact, they easily get gunned down by Finn's blaster, while Leah uses her pipe to smack some more. A warrior comes with a Chinese hat, tough armor, a sword and a shield. Finn shoots at him, but the blaster bolts are blocked easily. The warrior retaliates with a fireball, but Finn deflects it with the Force and uses it to push him back. The two proceed to fight with swords, but the lightsaber is too strong. It manages to cut through the heavy armor and with five good hits Finn is the victor.

"Now I can't complain about leaving our friends behind!"

Said friends are in trouble. Poe watches in anger as another one of his pilots gets blown up by laser beams from the Heartcrusher's mouth. Missiles come at him, but he shoots all of them down and also dodges the machine's fiery breath. The hull of his ship is struck by the machine guns, but can handle those. 

The fiery breath grazes the ship and BB-8 fixes the minor damage quickly. Dameron won't let a big droid beat him! He destroyed the dreaded Starkiller Base, which could and did devastate five planets at once. He can do this. He can do this!

He dodges laser beams and sees the Heartcrusher's mouth, open for another attack! 

"Oh no, you don't!" Poe fires ten Proton Torpedoes at the mouth as it's filled with flames. If there is one thing he knows is that everything, everything has and will have a weakness! The chain reaction of the flames and the explosions destroys the unmanned vehicle's head!

Meawhile, Q's car uses the Spydor Mines and the EMP Bolt to destroy some armed and armored enemy jeeps! Then the driver turns and uses more mines to defeat some Agents. 

From the moment the Heartcrusher was blown up by Poe, the battle was already won!

Soon, the rest of the enemies run away or are knocked out. Poe and his forces advance.

As Stormwolf performs the big raid, Rey finds out that her new enemy has conquered many planets. Right now, she realizes that she was isolated in that awful desert planet and it was a spec in the Galaxy, and the Galaxy was a small part of the Universe, which had multiple galaxies all along! She is now in the planet Medea, which has a big desert. There is also a base of the Black Legion in the desert. But, first, Rey has to confront a colossal snake.

The snake hisses and attempts to eat the Skywalker, but she dodges every single bite and electrocutes the colossal serpent. Since seeing the vision of herself becoming an abuse apologist, she has trained her Force Lightning and Force Choke better. She also had found a woman in Australia who treated her only friend like dirt and was willing to defend a rich man that was sexually assaulting her at all costs, even apologizing when she put him to prison and saying they had a good bond. Rey reached in her memories and saw what she never wanted to be. She killed the woman by ripping her legs off. Since then, her Dark abilities became stronger.

Now she uses her newfound abilities to defend herself from the murderous snake. She uses the Force to lift a colossal rock and stuff the monster's mouth with it! "Kiss this, you murderous snake!" 

The serpent is choking. By the time it spits the rock, Rey is on its back and stabs it. But the creature throws the Scavenger off her and attempts to shallow her again. A stab in the mouth and some more lightning later, Rey manages to kill it.

"Nobody can beat me!"

She uses the Force to locate the fortress and gets there. She sees natives being slaves and mining for the weapons of the demons. 

"Come on!" a Stalcaptain orders them. "Our allies on Earth are in trouble! We need more metal for our machines!" 

Rey thinks about her beloved Finn and Poe fighting demons. She trusts them. They can handle themselves. But she misses them so much.

However, she realizes she can prevent reinforcements from threatening them. She tries to Mind Trick the Stalcaptain into releasing the slaves.

"Are you trying to control a skeleton, woman? We Stalfos are immune to this." 

Rey Force Pushes him backwards and then starts shooting with her blaster. The Stalfos gets hit twice, but raises his shield to block all next shots. He retaliates by firing a blade from his sword and grazing the Jedi, who immediately dashes close to him and unleashes a flurry of slashes. The Stalcaptain blocks all the attacks and stabs Rey. Then he strikes her with a powerful spin attack. 

He goes for a Leap Attack, but Rey throws her yellow saber like a boomerang and manages to strike home. She lands a flying kick then and slashes the captain again, but then barely parries three quick attacks. The Stalcaptain bashes her with the shield and with a spin he also strikes her torso with his sword, but she lifts him with the Force to the ceiling and drops him, destroying him. She then tells the slaves to leave and that they are free. 

"We can't! There are too many monsters!"

"Not for long."

She starts exploring the place and fighting off Chebubs and zombies. Rey can and does defeat them with only her blaster.

However, she realizes that these are not the actual challenge. Now she has to face four turrets on foot. 

Meanwhile, on top, two Hell Knights are talking to a coven of Jawa. 

"You say we should pay ten hundred credits for each plasma rifle for our troops? You are robbing us!"

One of the Jawa fires his shock rifle at the brute to stun him. It works for half a second. 

"Ok" the Knight responds, while his partner is nodding.

"How about zero credits?" 

The Jawa are all startled. Then they see the laser blades attached to the arms of the two bulky demons. They start swearing in their language, throwing chunks of metal or firing their stun guns at the two. The orange armored minotaurs get no damage and retaliate with their green fireballs and laser blades. 

It was a slaughter. 

Unharmed, the two elite demons loot everything the Jawa had.

As the two laugh over the ashes of the cheating merchants, Rey knows she can't take on all four turrets fairly. She uses the Force to turn two against each other. As they blow them up, she barely dodges the lasers of the other two and doesn't even land on her feet. She uses the Force again, this time to rip a turret off its place and throw it into a wall. Then she raises her lightsaber to block the blasts of the last one. She barely holds her ground and every shot brings her a step backwards. In the end, Rey's defence is broken and she is knocked down. 

She grits her teeth and rips this turret too with the Force. But the door opens to reveal some Gun Minions and Blade Brutes, two kinds of droids. Rey uses her blaster and yellow lightsaber to fight them off. She grazes a Gun Minion with her blaster and then blocks a blaster bolt with her lightsaber. Due to her strength and training, she even manages to reflect two shots back to the enemy droids. At one point she manages to destroy a Blade Brute with her blaster. 

In the end, the girl manages to stand on the pieces of all the enemy robots. She advances and sees a room with statues. With the Force, she senses life in some of them. Indeed, they spring to life and attack her. 

"These monsters are sneaky!"

Back on Earth, Finn and Leah have reached Tokyo just in time to see the last two Children of Oda Nobunaga holding their own against the Yokai hordes. Leah immediately turns into her wolf form and performs the Six-Sided Strike to the zombies. As six of them drop dead, Finn uses the Force and accurate fire to take out Moblins and even three Stygians. 

Seeing how the Children have no longer a chance to win by themselves, the couple decide to help the two remaining warriors. One throws a shuriken and kills a zombie. Then he draws his katana and fights against a Bone Samurai. The skeleton wounds him in the right leg, drawing blood, but Finn uses his blaster and shoots the Bone Samurai dead. The other Child uses a smoke bomb to blind two Yoki and Leah uses her wolf senses to attack them while they can't see.

Finn confronts his first Rokurokubi. The Yokai uses his very long neck and manages to dodge Finn's shots effortlessly. Finn charges with his lightsaber, but the Rokurokubi exploits his advantage at range to bite the man's shoulder. 

"Ouch! Do it again, you little shit!"

The Rokurokubi does so and Finn lets the Force guide him. He manages to land a strike and chop the Yokai's head off! 

"You are good. But I am almost a Jedi Knight."

However, his ninja ally manages to stab a Gaki mortally. Another Gaki eats the flesh of its stabbed fellow Gaki and grows larger. Then it also eats the ninja and gets bigger. Finn sees this and glares at the monster. The giant Gaki doesn't react, instead it charges! Finn barely dodges the grab and shoots at the creature to weaken it. Then he avoids another grab and cuts off a hand that goes to hit him. With a stab in the stomach, the Padawan finishes the creature off. 

Then he lifts a big rock with the Force and hurls it with remarkable velocity at another Gaki, breaking its scull open. Two more gather besides their fallen comrade to feast, but Finn has none of it. He shoots both dead quickly. 

The last ninja slashes two zombies with his Sais and lands a flying kick at an Enki. However, a Moblin wounds him with his bow and the injured Enki impales him with his spear. 

Now Finn and Leah are alone. Along with their pet mouse, who is close to them and either swipes his tail or bites lesser demons, distracting them enough to be easy targets for the couple. Leah is in her human form and stakes a Moblin Archer, picks up a blaster and starts shooting. Due to her lack of training and having experience only by videogames, the woman only manages to hit three targets before the blaster overheats. Finn, on the other hand, shoots four enemies one-handed. But when Leah gets shot by an arrow, she flinches, feels it, but simply pulls it off and keeps fighting. Finn also gets shot and drops down to a knee. Only after he Force Pushes three Moblins away does he manage to pull out the arrow. 

Even though Finn and Leah manage to take many enemies out, there are too many and some units are too strong. Soon, the Padawan and the werewolf are back-to-back, trying their best to repel the demons surrounding them. An Elite Stygian slashes the ground with his twin swords and fires a wave of black ooze forward, which hits Finn. The Padawan knows he can't win a straight fight, not injured and with so many other enemies. He knows how the Stygians fight. He has only one chance. He throws one of his very few detonators and uses the Force to propel it straight at the Stygian, breaking his guard and body instantly and taking two zombies with the explosion.

Leah uses her pipe to duel with two Bone Samurai at once. She uses a mere pipe and isn't very skilled. However, she has the upper hand because she is very strong and really, really _fast_ , to the point the two Bone Samurai struggle to see her quickest strikes. The fight ends in her favor. 

But, in spite of these minor personal victories, the duo is still cornered, heavily outnumbered and outmatched. Leah even gets bitten by a Rokurokubi, while Finn gets a jab by an Enki. 

Little Finn does his best. Seeing Finn about to get shot by an arrow, he bites the heel of the archer and strikes him with a swipe of his tail, making him miss by a mile. But even he isn't enough to turn the tide.

Back to Medea, Rey has defeated the Armos with her lightsaber and used the Force to place a statue to a blue switch, which has to be constantly pressed to be active. Then she managed to fight off some puppets and a Fetish, a puppet that is made by demons and can breathe fire. Victorious, she advanced to the next room...

Where she sees a suit of armor lying still. The armor is holding a heavy double axe and Rey goes to pick it up. She will definetely need it for a fight with large enemies. However, when she goes to pick it up, she gets it... struck in her chest, nearly cutting her in half! She is launched to the door she came from.

"Bugger! Why can't I heal myself?" Rey coughs up blood and struggles to get up. She sees the suit of armor slowly approaching. She uses the Force to see what exactly she is facing.

An Iron Knuckle. A hardened warrior who emphasises in slow but really strong fighting style and can tank multiple hits. Rey uses her blaster to no effect, and with the Force she throws two chairs that also do nothing to the sturdy armor. The Iron Knuckle comes close and swings his double axe, but the Scavenger slides under the axe and lands three hits with her lightsaber. They deal damage to his armor, but he still does not flinch and Rey rolls to avoid the lethal axe swipe coming at her.

She tries a Force Push, but she only succeeds at moving the heavily armored warrior one foot backwards. The Iron Knuckle keeps advancing. Apparently, he can't attack from far away, but he doesn't need to! He manages to catch up to Rey and swing his axe. As it makes a cut to the floor, the Skywalker unleashes a flurry of slashes that all find their mark, then performs a backflip when the Knuckle is about to swing the axe again. She performs a Leap Attack, but he blocks it with his weapon and retaliates. Rey dodges the counter with another backflip.

After five rounds, Rey brings a chunk of the ceiling at the top of the Knuckle's helmet and breaks the armor! However, this makes the Iron Knuckle mad and faster! He manages to block a saber strike again and slash Rey's belly, heavily injuring her again! 

Rey tries to crawl to safety, but right now he is far faster than her. A desperate Rey does her strongest Force Push in an attempt to save herself. And it works! Due to the broken armor, the Iron Knuckle is far less heavy than before. He is faster, but he now flinches! Rey fires her blaster at him while screaming on top of her lungs! Each bolt now damages the brute and slows him down a little! Rey finally throws her lightsaber at him like a boomerang and staggers him.

With her last bit of her strength, Rey charges before he recovers and lands a flying kick before stabbing the Iron Knuckle in the stomach. She knows she is injured and that her grandfather could use Force Drain. But she never wanted to learn that skill, because even now she is too disgusted by such a thing. Instead, she simply decapitates her opponent with her saber.

"Phew! That was really, really close!" The woman starts breaking things, hoping to find something that can heal her. She finds a medium healing potion on a table and drinks it like she was in the desert for five days with no water. She knew that feeling and it was not pleasant. 

Mostly healed, Rey dashes forward and slices some Medean vampires. There are also some Armos and Stalfos, who could end the career of a novice in an instant, but have the bad luck of facing the last Skywalker. 

Rey soon finds out what the enemy was about to produce to squash her friends. The Gun Minions are numerous, not much different from the B1 Battle Droids, except their heads are scull-shaped. There are also the Metalfos, a race of robots created to eradicate the enemies of the Black Legion. Rey sees some Grunts, who have a sword and a machine gun each, and Scouts, who have a jetpack and relatively weak but fast missiles. But the strongest machine of all is an Arachnotron. This mix of demon and droid has a big brain, metal legs and a Plasma Gun stronger than a blaster. 

If Rey can stop this, she might possibly save the lives of Finn and Poe!

She is ready to take them all on. She remembers what the spirit of a true Jedi is. To fight in any situation. Even when all seems hopeless. To confront fear. 

Back to Japan, Finn fights on, in spite of the situation seeming hopeless. He gets wounded by an Enki's spear and a Tengu's Yari and feathers. He confronts his fear. Leah is also heavily injured by multiple attacks. Including bites from Gaki and Rokuorkubi. The two are holding off the enemy hordes and are about to be defeated. But they won't surrender, won't give the enemy this satisfaction! 

Finn slashes a Bone Samurai in half and frantically shoots a Blue Moblin dead, but gets hit by two Kunai, while Leah stakes a zombie and kicks a Gaki in the jaw, but gets struck by a fireball. 

"These two are too stubborn to give up." the Loyalist informs his liutenants. "Kill them both. The Minister of Truth wants their heads."

Finn and Leah know it's the end. They exchange a look at each other and then look at Little Finn, who has minor injuries from a sword that grazed him.

"At least I won't let them kill you." 

Suddenly, proton torpedoes are fired and destroy some Yokai! Finn turns to see...

Poe Dameron firing his blasters and eliminating many zombies and Stygians, as well as Moblins. Behind him, what few ships have survived the Heartcrusher, who were one third of the original ones, attack the enemy hordes. 

Q charges with his car and uses his battering ram to take out an unaware Crystal Fiend, destroying it. He reaches the two Finns and Leah. He manages to evacuate the mouse, fire Spydor Mines to blast the enemies up close and give a First Aid Kit to Finn, curing him almost completely. Leah refuses to get one, she has her health regeneration and a now healthy Finn saves her from an Imp with his blaster!

The Children of the Moon charge from another side, ambushing the Yokai and even taking out a burly Yoki by surprise. The Tengu try to get airborne to counter Poe's assault, but some get shot down before they do so by the X-Wings, and one gets brought down by Finn using the Force. However, the effort makes him sweat.

He still dashes to protect Leah from a Rokurokubi, slashing twice at its long neck. "You all get away from her, you bitches!" 

As he takes down another Stygian, Q runs over five rabid Gaki. Embry and Greyfur unleash a double flurry of fists, taking out a Yoki quickly. Then they dodge the fireball of another one. Some Men of Crete manage to gun down the Moblins and zombies. One even uses his uncle's knife to stab a Gaki in the throat mortally. 

The rebels have managed to aquire a rocket launcher, which is used at a Crystal Fiend who was busy punching a werewolf so hard she was sent flying four meters backwards. 

The Yokai and demons have their numbers decreased, their morale dropped, and some are getting tired. Some Moblins, Enki and even a few Tengu run or fly away.

The Loyalist is still calm. "Golden Moblin... we are in peril. Fire at will!" 

The Golden Moblin fires his automatic crossbow at the crowd. The Fire Arrows slaughter five humans, one werewolf and one zombie. However, Leah has recovered and is determined to defeat the creature.

Q takes out two black Moblins with the turret and deploys Spydor Mines, three, at the Golden Moblin. The Golden Moblin turns and blows all of them up with his automatic crossbow. He even shoots the front right wheel of the car! 

Leah uses her pipe and strikes an Imp's head. Then she fights an Enki, blocks two of his strikes and beats him with a flurry of kicks. But, as she gets close to the Moblin, she gets shot by a Fire Arrow. 

"LEAH!" Finn, screaming, rushes to help. A green Moblin stands in his way and charges with his axe, but gets immediately cut down. 

However, the Loyalist intervenes. "Nobody attack him. He is mine." 

And he drags Finn to Limbo.

Finn sees the familiar place. The last time, he did manage to destroy an Elite Stygian, but got kidnapped. Now he doesn't want to have more bad memories. 

The Loyalist is opposite of him, baton equipped. No minions with him. "Traitor!"

"Try 'ex-slave who had enough of the First Order's bullshit'. I wonder, why am I called a traitor while people like Kylo don't?" 

"Because nobody has to call him such. Even a child would get it without anyone telling them he is one."

"Makes sense."

"En guarde!" The Loyalist charges, spinning his baton wildly. Finn parries all the strikes and remembers the fight he had in Takodana. Only this time, he blocks far more easily. The Force is on his side. And he surprises the Loyalist by landing a jab at his ribs! 

"Argh! How... I don't remember you being this strong!"

"People can grow. Failing the first time doesn't mean you won't succeed!" 

The Loyalist throws a metal bar at Finn. Finn cuts it in half. The Loyalist is confused. If the Traitor can only cut the bar in two pieces, it means he doesn't have that much experience! The assassin is no fool. He fires many blaster bolts one-handed, but Finn deflects all of them with his saber and Force Pushes him backwards.

The Loyalist realizes that Finn intentionally cut the bar to only two pieces... he was bluffing! Hiding his skills! This is it. To truly test the enemy's strength, the killer has to fight seriously.

Back to Medea, Rey uses the Force to destroy some Metalfos. Then with her saber she deflects heavy plasma fire and damages with her blaster the Arachnotron. But a Metalfos Scout fires missiles at her, causing her to deflect them with the Force and shoot its jetpack. The scout is defeated, but the Arachnotron shoots the distracted Rey in the ribs. Rey turns to the Arachnotron and grits her teeth. Then she proceeds to use Force Lightning! She fries the spider's exposed brain soon and the spider cyborg explodes.

Rey has got some injuries, but can still fight on! She reflects the blaster bolt of a Gun Minion, shoots another one twice in the head and dismantles a Metalfos Grunt using the Force.

She cuts a Gun Minion in half with her yellow saber, but a bullet grazes her. She turns and Force Pushes the Grunt who fired at another Gun Minion. Then she stabs another droid in the chest. 

The last scout fires missiles, but Rey dodges them and uses the Force to bring equipment on top of the robot. Then she climbs the stairs to the next room, where she hacks through zombies, living puppets and two Medean Vampires. 

She finds the burnt corpses of the Jawa the Hell Knights murdered. She can sense no life inside them. "Poor Jawa... scavengers, like I once was. What did you do to deserve this?" 

"They were selling their scrap in ridiculous prizes." 

Rey sees the two Hell Knights who killed the Jawa. "You did this?" 

"Yes." 

Rey charges at them, but they block her sabee strikes with their laser blades and retaliate. Even though they have laser blades attached to their arms, they aren't nearly as skilled as an actual Jedi. Rey blocks a strike from one of them and starts slashing, cutting through the armor easily. She lands five hits, but the second Hell Knight leaps high and manages to slash her back with both blades. 

Rey turns and performs a powerful spin attack that gets both demons. Then one of them strikes her with a shoulderbash and sends her at what's left of the Jawa. Rey Force Pushes both Hell Knights backwards and uses the Force to gather all scrap metal in the room into a big ball. Then she throws it at the Hell Knights, who manage to slice it to bits with their blades. 

They throw green fireballs at her, but she manages to dodge them and wound the two with her blaster. Then she slides close to one and stabs him, but the Knight slashes her with his green arm blade. Then he grabs the back of her head, leads her to a wall and slams her face hard in. He drops her down to the floor and is about to finish her off by stomping on her head. 

She dodges by rolling sideways, but as she gets up a green fireball hits her. The other Hell Knight, the one who threw the fireball, punches Rey in the cheek so hard he nearly breaks her teeth. 

Rey's POV

These monsters! I am here because of what they were going to do to me. They drove my friends away from me! And now these two have murdered a bunch of innocent Jawa. I won't let them kill me. I will _not_ let these two win. 

I refuse!

Third person POV

Rey roars, lietrally roars, as she casts Force Lightning at the two demons and electrocutes them violently. 

"You two do not deserve to live another day!" 

Her eyes turn a little yellow, she keeps casting, screaming. The effort, along with the injuries, is tiring Rey out, but she doesn't care! She has only one thought in her mind. Revenge!

The two Hell Knights manage to survive for over half a minute. Apparently, they are quite durable. But in the end, they can hold no longer and turn to ash.

With the two Hell Knights dead, the Medeans are free. Rey has taken her first steps to her goal. 

Meanwhile, in Japan, Leah confronts the Golden Moblin. She is in her wolf form, dodges Fire Arrows with ease and, when he calls six Gaki to assist him, she kills 'em all with the Six-Sided Strike. Then she lunges and bites him, but gets kicked in the jaw.

She turns into her human form and unleashes a barrage of punches. "ORA ORA ORA ORA ORA ORA ORA ORA ORA ORA ORA ORA ORA!"

The flurry of fists knocks the Golden Moblin five meters away and on his back. Leah closes the distance quickly and goes for another punch. But the Golden Moblin is far superior to any other type and lands a very strong right hook, breaking Leah's teeth. Then he stabs her with his poisoned dagger in the stomach. 

"This poison is just as fast as your healing factor." the Moblin comments. "Which essentially negates your healing. Now I want you to heal THIS!"

With a hard kick in the chest he sends Leah flying backwards. She struggles to get up and the Golden Moblin wounds her with his automatic crossbow.

Greyfur watches shocked. He chrages head first. A Stygian gets in the way, but Greyfur just throws it away and keeps charging. 

The Golden Moblin aims at the werewolf with his crossbow and wounds him. "A noble effort, but not enough for me." 

Leah gets angry. Despite not being healed due to the poison, she lifts a rock with her bare hands and throws it at the Golden Moblin, landing a hit. The Moblin turns back to her and fires more arrows, but Leah rolls to avoid all of them. 

"Hold still, you werewolf bitch!"

Finn doesn't have an easier time. Once the Loyalist saw through his bluff and got serious, he managed to get the upper hand. He parries Finn's strikes easily and manages to kick him to the chest. Then he pretends to go for the legs. Finn knows the trick and, with the help of the Force, manages to parry when the baton goes for the throat. Then he Force Pushes the Loyalist away, but the demon moves faster than the human eye can see. Finn manages to sense his moves partially with the Force, but he still fails to block the incoming strike. The Loyalist hits him twice more.

Finn draws his blaster and fires away, but the Loyalist moves just as fast as a vampire and effortlessly dodges all the shots. Then he performs a Leap Attack.

Finn jumps sideways and goes for a stab, but the assassin easily sidesteps and with a spin he retaliates. The ex-Stormtrooper blocks it with his own saber. He observes the elegant way his enemy twirls the baton. The Loyalist probably had great First Order training, Finn sees that his enemy uses this weapon even better than Nines!

Finn pushes his enemy backwards and kicks him in the stomach, but the Loyalist gets up, dodges the following strikes easily, with tremendous speed, gives a strong flying kick to the black man's chest and then a spin kick to the belly. He finally strikes the dark-skinned man in the chest. 

He proceeds to raise the baton upwards, ready for the finishing blow. This time, Han is not here to save Finn. But this time, Finn is no longer the escaped slave who just wants to run. This time, he is a Jedi! And with the Force he throws the Loyalist away! 

The demon champion smirks, though his helmet doesn't allow this to be seen. Only the eyes are exposed. "FN-2187. Seems like I will truly enjoy this fight. Give it everything you have got!"

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sadly, this chapter was getting too big. Remember when this originally was an oneshot, implying the adventures of Stormwolf? Remember when Rey was implied to become evil through the Dyad before I scrapped it? Good times, good times... 
> 
> Next chapter, the Loyalist and Finn will conclude their fight! Impressions about the two?
> 
> Do you like the Jawa? I showed them up inspired by the Mandalorian. They aren't saints, but the demons are a bigger evil. 
> 
> A lot of Yokai show up! Favorite one?


	26. New Blood

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Finn confronts the Loyalist! The demon is skilled in the same things the human is. 
> 
> Meanwhile, his friends try to break into the place where political prisoners were held...

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The culimination of the siege!
> 
> And some more stuff.

Leah's back is against the wall. The Golden Moblin is still stronger than her, despite her improvement in training. She manages to dodge his rapid fire and land a hook to his face, but a hard kick to the jaw knocks her back again. The Golden Moblin grins and aims at the woman with his crossbow. The tip of the weapon points to the head. 

However, Little Finn is not going to let his best friend die! He charges at the Golden Moblin, clings on his leg and starts biting! The Moblin tries to get the rodent off him in surprise. He manages to kick him away and tries to stomp on him, but the mouse dodges the foot and swipes with his tail to trip the Moblin. 

But a kick knocks the mouse on his back and the Golden Moblin is about to stab him with his poisoned dagger. 

Clearwater will _not_ let this happen. She charges faster than the human eye can see, her hands closed into fists. The first strike makes the Golden Moblin flinch. She lands more quick hooks to him. 

"I will not let you live beyond this day, you petty bully!"

The Golden Moblin slashes her with the dagger, but she manages to stand in spite of the wound and kick the knife out of the enemy's hands. Then she stakes him in the heart and lands more rapid hooks. 

She grabs his foot as he kicks and pushes him down. 

As Leah is beating up the Golden Moblin, Poe takes on multiple Tengu and performs quite well. His blasters manage to destroy many of them, but one gets on the ship. BB-8 torches and then electrocutes the demonic raven immediately. Then Poe throws the monster off his ship with a barrel roll.

Q also helps with the sniper rifle. Sadly for him, the car is incapacitated, but he is still competent on foot. Invisible, he manages to not be detected by the Yokai and shoot a Rokurokubi in the head. Two shots kill the powerful Yokai. Three meters away, a former Stormtrooper shoots a Gaki dead in point-blank range and dodges an Imp's fireball before gunning it down too. But a Rokurokubi bites him hard in the neck, killing him. 

Inside Limbo, Finn and the Loyalist are still dueling. The former can sense the latter with the Force and it's the only way he can keep up. With the speed of a vampire, the Loyalist unleashes a flurry of baton strikes. Finn parries all of them and retaliates with an overhead swing, but the Loyalist ducks and goes for a thrust. The dark-skinned Padawan sidesteps and does a spin attack, but the warrior of the Underworld performs a backflip and draws his blaster, which he fires rapidly.

Finn rolls to avoid the shots and manages to shoot the Loyalist in the shoulder. 

"You were always better with blasters, Traitor... but in melee combat, you are beneath me!" The Loyalist equips the baton again, moves faster than the human eye can see and attacks again, but Finn parries the strike. He counters with a thrust, but the Loyalist jumps over him and strikes him from behind. Then he starts spinning wildly in a circle. Finn does his best to block the strikes, but the Loyalist disarms him and kicks him in the stomach. 

"None of your tricks can save you now!" He shoots Finn at his knees and then prepares the final blow. 

Suddenly, the lightsaber flies between the two combatants, into Finn's waiting hand, and activates, stopping the Riot Baton. With his left hand, Finn draws his blaster and fires six shots in point-blank range, all hitting the demon in the torso. Then he kicks him backwards with both feet. 

The Loyalist is reeling. Finn goes for the final blow with his lightsaber. He should have kept shooting. The Loyalist parries at the last second. 

"You cornered me. But I don't care, FN-2187. A true warrior fights even with the odds against him."

"I know."

The weapons clash and lock. Both try their hardest to push each other backwards. 

On the surface of Earth, Leah punches the Golden Moblin hard in the jaw. The Moblin headbutts her, grabs her by the hair and knees her nose. Leah is bleeding badly, but manages a crooked smile. The Golden Moblin is surprised. Why is she smiling?

That was exactly what Leah wanted. An opening! Now she unleashes all of her anger at the Golden Moblin. "ORA! ORA ORA ORA ORA ORA ORA ORA ORA ORA ORA ORA ORA ORA ORA ORA!"

The multiple punches make the Moblin dizzy, so Leah attacks with the steel pipe at full speed, wounding her enemy again and again. However, the Golden Moblin catches the pipe at the last strike, punches the werewolf in the gut hard enough for her to spit blood and knocks her down. Then he tries to strangle her. 

"You fool can't even beat our Silver counterparts. Why do you think you stand a chance against me, you stupid dog?" 

Greyfur is crawling. He is badly injured, but his Alpha is in mortal danger. Leah doesn't see him, so she can't tell him to save himself. Greyfur lifts the heaviest rock he can find. And tosses it straight at the Golden Moblin, knocking him off Leah! She draws her wooden stake and stabs the Moblin mortally. 

"Thank you, Greyfur. Really."

With the Golden Moblin dead, the stakes change! Poe blows holes in the wall, its archers and some Crystal Fiends who were cornering his men. He manages to shoot down three Tengu, but BB-8 is damaged by one's thrown feathers.

"Quickly, let's get to the prison and save everyone!" 

"What if there are actual criminals, not just political prisoners, and they are all mixed together to make such a job harder?" 

"That's a good question, Sergeant. We will find out!"

Rebels are already inside the city, but encounter a new enemy. The Sentries. They are not too many, but are very, very strong. While bullets defeat even the Bone Samurai in one digit of shots, a Sentry easily tanks twenty body shots at once. The only rebel soldier that manages to kill a Sentry has a rocket launcher and manages to fire it straight at the powerful guard. 

Poe realizes he has to help through his ship. Even without the Force, he is a very competent General and pilot! The future of the Galaxy changed for the better thanks to him! 

And he is going to repeat this now. With his blasters he obliterates a Sentry who has just used his sword to chop a werewolf in half! 

Inside Limbo, Finn and the Loyalist were fighting for five more rounds. The tide is turning against the rebellious General. He unleashes three saber slashes, but the other warrior parries them all and punches him hard in the jaw. Then the blue lightsaber and the electric Riot Baton clash again. Finn is pushed back and kneed in the stomach before getting struck in the chest at full force! 

He tries to say something. "You..."

The Loyalist approaches, dead serious. 

Finn opens his mouth.

"Your next line is 'Any last words'?"

"No. If I say it, I am giving you a free hit."

Finn gains the time from the rebuttal and Force Pushes him backwards. He manages to wound him with his blaster in mid-air. 

The Loyalist lands on his back, surprised. "Was... was that part of your plan?" 

"Sort of."

Outside, Leah is no longer poisoned. But she is so injured that Embry and Greyfur carry her. The Children of the Moon fight to the death against the Yokai. A werewolf manages to tear the head off an Enki, but a Yoki comes and throws three strong punches. The werewolf is actually killed by them. 

Another Child of the Moon passes away as he is shot by two fireballs, one of an Imp and one of a Yoki. A Yoki shoots a fireball and burns a former Stormtrooper alive. Another rebel manages to shoot a Stygian dead, but a Sentry splits him in two vertically using his big sword. One of Poe's wingmen manages to take out five Yoki, but a Tengu throws his javelin at the pilot's seat and manages to impale him through the glass. 

The first scout gets to the prison itself. The door is guarded by two Bone Samurai, who are shot by the scout's Magnum. As he gets inside, the scout is ambused by an Enki and stabbed in the neck.

Q uses his sniper rifle to save three former Stormtroopers from a mighty Ippon-Datara. Then he gives a medikit to a werewolf. "Your Alpha will take too much time to recover. Give her this!"

"Affirmative!"

Leah, Embry and Greyfur almost got to the prison. The last two have to defend their weakened Alpha from attacks of Gaki and Stygians. Embry is wounded by a Moblin Arrow. When they reach the gaol, a Crystal Fiend is waiting. Embry charges at it, but gets punched hard. Greyfur manages to bite through the crystal, but his teeth hurt. Leah turns to Little Finn, who is still with her. "Please do this. Sneak past the guards, take their keys and free the prisoners! You are our only hope!"

Poe gets above them with another pilot and they shoot the defences. However, an anti-aircraft gun grazes the ace pilot. 

"Hold on BB-8! We are going to save the prisoners!" 

Leah still struggles to get up. But the other two wolves, seeing that the Yokai is too strong, use their heads. They punch the ground hard, creating a hole. Then Embry pushes the Crystal Fiend inside and Greyfur lands a two-handed slam, smashing the big demon.

Only then does the werewolf with the medikit manage to reach his weakened Alpha.

Fully healed, she gets inside and punches through the Enki who stabbed the first scout. Then she hides from two patrolling Bone Samurai and lunges at the first one when they pass her. She breaks the skeleton's neck, but the other attacks with his katana. Leah dodges and smashes the enemy with her pipe. She gets some kunai and throws them at some Yokai Archers and zombies with axes. 

Little Finn has managed to steal the keys from a guard, but is spotted fleeing with them. "Hold still, you little shit!" The little shit runs faster. 

Meanwhile, in Limbo, Finn and the Loyalist are still fighting. Finn is tired and wounded, but he refuses to give up. 

The sublimal messages around them taunt the Jedi, trying to break his spirit.

YOU ARE CORNERED

YOU ARE A MISTAKE

YOU ARE A NUMBER

YOU ARE NOT WORTHY

The Padawan ignores the messages as much as he can. But they still hurt him. He was considered as replacable as a cog in a machine. He and the other Stormtroopers did not matter as people. He wanted this to change. However, most credit for the salvation of the Galaxy went to just another abusive imprint. 

However, this has changed. He has to win this fight. He has to show that these messages are wrong!

He uses the Force to send rocks at the Loyalist, who sees he can't deflect them all. He dashes faster than the human eye can see behind Finn... who turns and slashes in a wide area with his saber. 

The Loyalist gets hit! 

"Looks like I outsmarted your outsmarting!"

The Loyalist responds by charging like a mad Nexu and unleashing a flurry of blows at the human. Finn barely manages to block all of them. His defence is really strong... however, it's only defence! The commando kicks the General, pushing him back.

Then he throws a metal bar at Finn, who cuts it to six pieces. Just as the Loyalist wanted. Now he knows Finn's limit... and has learned from his previous mistake! He has dashed with his superhuman speed not just behind, but away from Finn and shoots him in the back. The bolt strikes the scar in his spine.

The Loyalist proceeds to charge at the Padawan, baton in both hands. Finn turns and parries just in time! The weapons clash again!

Finn is getting pushed backwards. The Loyalist taunts him. "Only six pieces. You won't get to cut a seventh. You will never be a true Jedi!"

Finn uses the Force to boost his strength. He can't afford to lose! Not like this! He thinks of all the friends he made. All those who do believe he matters. Poe. Q. The deceased Toni. The flamethrower soldier who saved him from the Stygians. Kitty. Nicky. Jannah. Lando.

_Leah._

"You are loved." she said when she saved him from the vampires. 

_He is not going to let these people down._

And he manages to push the Loyalist back! He proceeds to land multiple slashes at the demon, even launching him skyward. When the demon lands on his knees, Finn stabs him in the chest.

The Loyalist struggles to get up. His helmet is damaged, one horn is missing and there is a nasty crack. 

He is charging once more with his baton, now full of sweat and more slowly. 

Finn parries all the blows easily. "COME ON!"

And with the most devastating punch he has ever given, he shatters the demon's helmet. However, a splinter wounds him. He removes it, but it hurts. 

In front of him is an unique fiend. He has a face that looks like it's made of solid lava and curly red hair. 

"You... have improved a lot... Eighty-Seven. You are far stronger... than the last time we met."

"Wait! I am feeling like an idiot now. How didn't I realize this sooner?"

Back to the prison, Little Finn manages to free some prisoners already. Among them is a man known as Hanzo, some captured Children of Oda Nobunaga, the Nutty Poet and more. 

Leah, meanwhile, is fighting against an Elite Stygian in a tight corridor, while Embry and Greyfur are taking on the weaker guards.

The problem with the escaped prisoners is that they are unarmed. They have to find where their stuff is stored.

So, they have to hide. Some of the runaways know martial arts, but the guards are Bone Samurai and Yoki, who are too much for any unarmed human. Embry manages to find them and Leah's pet mouse when they are cornered by three Bone Samurai. He destroys all three with an ambush, though he does get slashed across the arm and chest. 

Greyfur defeats an Enki and finds a storage of weapons. He uses the mind link with Embry and Leah to inform them. Embry has some questions.

"What is a paintbrush doing in a storage of weapons? Who uses a paintbrush in a fight?" 

The Nutty Poet raises her hand. "Do not underestimate my paintbrush... it is more than you think it is. If you don't believe me, there is a kind of lesser Yokai that looks like an umbrella and can fire needles like a machine gun. Oh, and there are also sentient, evil musical instruments among the Yokai."

"Our Alpha did have to fight that last one. I believe you."

He manages to smell Greyfur. "Good thing you smell so horribly, my wolf senses alone wouldn't help me through the stench of this prison."

One minute later, Leah smacks the Elite Stygian in the face. He parries the next pipe strike and stabs her in the gut. The she-wolf is exhausted. She won't last much longer. However, an explosive shuriken hits the Stygian and blows him up. 

It was drawn by the Nutty Poet's paintbrush... which materializes everything it draws!

Poe manages to destroy all the anti-aircraft guns, however they grazed him three times. Q uses his Drill Blaster to take out a Yoki that is close and beating up a human.

Meanwhile, Finn is speaking to the Loyalist.

"You know, Nines, we could be friends instead of enemies. You were never the real evil. You were ripped from your family, served the people who abused you, and died like another number. How couldn't you? Even some Resistance members thought your abusive masters mattered more than you."

"We could be friends. We used to be family. But then you had to become a deserter! To become a traitor! Why did you do this to us?" 

"Traitor? Are you even listening to me, Nines? I said, they took you from your family, made you an expendable number and bred you to murder civilians and die for their selfish goals. And then some of them start leeching sympathy, while we were dying without our real families knowing about us. I am a traitor for you. But in reality, I just am done with this corruption."

"You are the selfish one, Finn. By leaving, you showed that you put yourself before others. Before the First Order. I, the Loyalist, am not a traitor, and I don't care about my own family or future. 

I was reborn into this mighty body for two reasons..."

The Loyalist draws his blaster.

"To kill you and serve my master!"

Finn also draws his blaster and both use their good hands to shoot at each other. Both are shot in the chest. Their breastplates save their lives, but they both flinch from the shots, having got still wounded.

Nines grabs his baton and chrages at the human. 

However, right behind Finn, a portal emerges. The former Stormtrooper Force Pushes the former human six meters backwards and jumps inside. 

Nines doesn't want to chase him. "He really got stronger. Chasing him now might lead me to his friends and I am too injured to take them all on. Alright, FN-2187, let's call it a draw."

Finn finds himself back to where he was. He sees a small Asian girl with short hair as well as Leah. 

"Ok, I know I am in the right place, but... when did Rose Tico come here? And why is she holding a paintbrush? And what is she wearing in front of her eyes?" 

"Who is Rose Tico? I am the Nutty Poet. I knew Miss Clearwater as a misunderstood heroine, and she told me to save her friend from getting trapped in Limbo. I wouldn't wish this on anyone. Because I was trapped in Limbo too!"

"You were? How did you escape?"

"My paintbrush could make portals between the Limbo and Earth. However, it consumes more time and energy than to create a weapon."

"So, you can make anything?" 

"Yes, but only with the paintbrush, only on solid ground and only if I draw it, all the details of the drawing will materialize, nothing more, nothing less."

"I think I got it."

They are all about to escape when they are stopped by a large wave of Yoki, Karakasa Umbrellas, Oni-Bi, One-Eyed Oni and Rokurokubi. Finn and Leah are too exhausted to fight well, while Hanzo draws his steel katana and the Poet is about to literally draw a bazooka. 

However, the Yokai are suddenly ambushed by something. Blaster bolts fry many Oni-Bi and Karakasa, while a colossal Asian dragon made of red fire assaults the rest of the demons and burns them.

Before Stormwolf realizes what happened, their saviors emerge. It's an elite squad of the Children of Oda Nobunaga, every single member holding blasters. In the center, Mori Ranmaru himself stands, his hands catching flames. 

"You are welcome."

Finn's jaw drops. He has seen some impressive stuff, including Rey lifting a lot of rocks to save her friends, but only Palpatine's Force Lightning that stunned an entire fleet was more of a sight to behold for him than this. 

"You... made this dragon?" 

"All by myself. You look like that man who killed that reincarnation of Oda Nobunaga. Who was bringing ladies from the past to groom as brides!"

Finn hesitates. His expressions shows he wants to hide something. But the Poet, knowing a lot about how the real Ranmaru would react, tells him to be honest.

"Because I am the man who killed him. Shot in the nuts. Are you going to kill me for that?" 

"I am thinking about it. I wanted to exterminate that disgrace of the great Nobunaga's lineage myself. However, I am not here to kill you right now. I am here because these beasts killed Katsuie, my right-hand man, and captured many of my men. If you allow me to reclaim my men, I am not going to hurt anyone."

The Fire Dragon devours the last of the demons.

"Starting now."

Finn shrugs his shoulders. "No problem."

He turns to the escaped Children of Oda Nobunaga.

"Tell me, do you want to return to Nobunaga, your master?"

"I am Ranmaru. The most loyal servant of Nobunaga. I wish I was half as grand as him."

The Poet thinks she should have informed him about that, because she recognized him immediately. Finn repeats the question, this time with the correct indentity of the leader. 

All members of the Children are willing to rejoin their leader.

Ranmaru puts his arms in his waist. "Good. There will be no more bloodshed today. Though, one day, we might meet again. In different conditions. Farewell."

The Children of Oda Nobunaga and Stormwolf part ways. Finn and Leah welcome their new friends. "Remember, we are like a family. We help those in need at all costs. We won't tolerate any form of abuse. Got it?" 

"Got it."

The Nutty Poet and Hanzo also get officer positions because they fought well in the escape.

Earlier, Leah asked Finn about the duel with the fearsome Loyalist.

"Did you kill him?" 

"No. It was a draw."

In Forks, the same question and answer was between Renesmee and the Loyalist.

"A draw? You let him escape! And where is your helmet, you good-for-nothing..."

"I heard how he killed your Mommy-dearest. At least I didn't fall at the first strike, Nessie."

"I thought you were the most loyal soldier to the Great One! Why do you talk back at your superiors?"

"I don't talk back at my superiors. You are important in the vampire community. And vampires might be above humans, Moblins or Orcs. Maybe even werewolves. However, they are beneath the demons. If the Minister of Truth tells me to shut up now, I will shut up."

And Renesmee, seeing that the Loyalist didn't consider her the center of the world, starts crying. 

Which causes two more vampires to emerge. "Who hurt you, my little eight-pointed snowflake?" 

"Vlad... I told you not to use this nickname for her. Snowflakes always have six points. Don't you trust a vampire with cryokinesis?" 

"My bad, Fang. Anyway, Loyalist, where is your helmet, and why did you make her cry?"

"She thinks she is above everyone else. I am loyal only to my superiors. As for my helmet, the Traitor broke it. He barely escaped with his life."

"I see." Vlad responds. "You know, Al Astor might get angry with you if you mistreat Nessie... "

"She is weak. But Al is wiser than me. Why would he put so much value in her?" 

"She might be, though her telepathy is useful. But she funds our forces generously. Thanks to her, we have no financial problems. So, don't make her upset, or our master will be upset at you... might even question your loyalty."

Nines apologizes to Renesmee.

Her tears stop and in what she considers the ultimate kindness she forgives him.

Three days pass with no problems. The Nutty Poet and Hanzo guided the rest of the crew through Japan, informed them about history and mythology. Stormwolf even got to eat sushi. 

The way Finn and Leah eat is quite different. He was raised in a background that was overly strict, so he keeps his manners on the table by the book. She was a werewolf shapeshifter, who was always an outcast, and never cared about manners, so she isn't as typical as her best friend.

And if Leah ever tries to buy a chocolate ice cream, Finn checks the perimeter for anyone else. Only if he is sure they can be alone does he let her get one. As time passes, he enjoys her antics more and more.

In the restaurant, a beautiful waitress tried to act flirty towards Finn. A look from Leah later and she hit on Poe instead, who was far more accepting himself. 

"Leah, are you sure this is not an imprint?" 

"No. One of my packmates, who was hitting on a girl since she was two, saw her talking to a boy innocently and punched him in the face. Without checking if she wasn't interested in the boy. Are you comparing me to that again?" 

Despite this story, Finn managed to eat his food. Though it was barely easier now than the duel with the Loyalist.

After the three days have passed, the Nutty Poet led the others to a museum which had to do with Japanese history. 

"So, how did Nobunaga get defeated?" 

"He was betrayed by Akeshi Mitsuhide. It wasn't a real fight, more of an ambush. Oda tried to fight back, but was overwhelmed... he committed seppuku."

"And his body?" 

"Cremated by his most loyal follower as Oda's last wish. The follower was Ranmaru. He set the corpse of his lord and the temple on fire. Then, full of guilt for faling to save his master, he also killed himself."

"This explains the reincarnation's abilities. That dragon... it was made by Mori Ranmaru. His fiery spirit and passion, as well as the way he preserved the honor of his master, led to him have this power."

"And then Hideyoshi succeeded him." Leah adds.

"Indeed. Did you know, though, that he wasn't always so powerful? Started humble and had become Nobunaga's sandal bearer, before helping him in some battles a lot and then unifying Japan himself, continuing Oda's legacy."

They all listen to the Poet with interest. People who know history can avoid the mistakes of their ancestors more easily. It's useful to know what happened in the past, because it will help mold the future. 

However, the ever-present messages disagree. 

HISTORY IS USELESS, IT BELONGS IN THE PAST

DO NOT ASK, DO NOT SPEAK, DO NOT SEE WITH YOUR OWN EYES

BELIEVE WHATEVER YOU ARE TOLD 

"And who was the third Great Unifier of Japan?" the Poet asks as a quiz.

"It's Ieyasu. Who made a long line of Shoguns."

"Correct!"

"So, Poet, what is the thing you hate the most? Except pedophilia, rape, abuse and similar things that any sane person would be offended by?" 

"Changing history. It will prevent humanity from learning from its mistakes and possibly cause utter chaos because of the different timelines... and this is the good scenario. Imagine this getting caused from someone malicious."

Though Finn and Leah would gladly change some years of their lives, they realize that they could be much different. If they were ordinary civilians with happy upbringing, the First Order, the Volturi and the Egyptian Coven might have been still standing strong. Stormwolf could have never been created. And if the two had never friends dragged away from them because of imprints, they would probably never know or want to stop that evil. 

In the end, it was better to keep history the same.

Stormwolf had enjoyed their latest success, though they probably couldn't do it without the Children of Oda Nobunaga. And they knew that they only helped each other because of mutual goals and are still enemies. 

However, nobody wanted to attack first for no reason. 

A squad of droids would have attacked and caused heavy casualties to the team, but Rey had stopped it.

Now Rey has led the assault on monsters on the planet Pluto. The dwarf planet isn't inhabitable, but the demons have made a base there with a dome which has artificial oxygen to store a secret base. Rey manages to spot it and flew with the Millenium Falcon there, alone. She knew she could take care of herself and didn't need anyone.

When she arrives, she passes through the dome and gets attacked by Pinkies. She avoids their charges and retaliates with her lightsaber.

After she defeats them, she hides. 

Then she walks casually into the fortress. The turrets shoot her and the Moblins fire arrows from above. Even an all-powerful Jedi would get killed by this combination. 

There isn't even a corpse by the time they are finished.

No Jedi could have defended against this...

Unless they were using Force Projection half a kilometer away. Now Rey knows about the trap and climbs on top of a building. She wants to make her ambush from above. 

"Actually, I have a better idea."

Five minutes later, she attacks the turrets using the Falcon, which is in auto-pilot. She does the same with the archers. Then she lands again. Since she was alone and had no pilot, her shields got struck and damaged by a turret. However, she still managed to succeed. 

Now she pinpoints the main building and lands there. 

She confronts two bulky Bouncers with fists as big as her. She knows she can take them on, but feels like it will be difficult. So, she Mind Tricks them into turning on their allies. 

Everything is so easy. Too easy, in fact. Rey now believes she is invincible, that she needs nobody, that she is the greatest Jedi. She confronts some Fire Spell Punks. They are wizards who teleport and cast fireballs. A decent challenge for a Padawan, but Rey is now a full Jedi. 

She casts Force Lightning and fries all of them. 

In the end, she finds a Reaper in the control center, which is ten stories above the ground, and Mind Tricks him to kill himself. He chuckles. 

"This works on weak minds. However, no Reaper has a weak mind or is dead." 

Rey shoots at him with her blaster, but misses every shot and the Reaper Force Pushes her backwards. He pushes her back with the Force again and is about to throw her off the control center and into her death.

Rey does a stronger Force Push and then, as the Reaper is stunned, stabs him with her saber. The Reaper attacks with his scythe and Rey blocks the strikes, but her counterattack is stopped by the scythe.

The Reaper teleports and slashes Rey with his scythe, wounding her badly. Then he lifts a crate with the Force and throws it at the scavenger, but she stops it and tosses three. The Reaper cuts one in half and teleports to dodge them... close to Rey to strike her. Then he gets a second stab, a fatal one.

"After you turn into a black mist... tell your master I won't forgive him for killing Leia." 

She remembered Kef Bir. If the Corruption wasn't taking over, if she didn't have the brilliant idea of using the Force to strike one of her own allies, she could have defeated Kylo and Leia wouldn't have to sacrifice herself then. She was thinking about how the Dark One probably used her to murder Leia. 

But Rey has changed. And she will avenge the brave, smart, inspiring General.

The Black Legion knows this. Al Astor is on the Boar News and, a hour later, demonizes Rey. "A lunatic terrorist invaded a colony on Pluto. She had the goal of murdering everyone there to hinder the progress of humanity. 

She is also a descendant and successor of the dead Emperor Palpatine, wanting to expand the oppressive Galactic Empire in his place. She is known as someone who abuses her own allies and has a really bad case of arrogance."

Leah, Q, the Poet and the other Earthlings don't recognize who is slandered. Finn and Poe do so immediately. 

"Wait... wasn't Rey brainwashed?" Poe asks. 

"Maybe she never was. Or, in the best case, she managed to break free."

"Should we help her?"

A tear flows across Finn's cheek. He mutters a word he couldn't believe he would say in this context.

"No."

"Why?" 

"Hmmm... Poe, do you think the Children of Oda Nobunaga are on the loose, trying to take over Japan through force and create a Shogunate like Ieyasu's?"

"I do believe that's their motivation, but..."

"I mean if they are attacking right now."

The Children aren't attacking them... they are busy attacking Osaka, where they confront a clan of monks who want to recreate the Ikko-Ikki. With Katsuie dead, Ranmaru has to lead his forces himself. 

The monks see the Children approaching and use a cannon to deplete the enemy cavalry and infantry. However, Ranmaru has air support. One of his kamikaze pilots does a divebomb as the cannon blows up three horse riders and goes for the cannon. The cannon hits the wing, but the plane still collides with it and both blow up. 

"They killed some of our men. In the name of Lord Nobunaga, I am going to burn these monks alive. Kamikaze pilots... it's time to be heroes!"

The pilots dive at the temples of the monks and blow themselves up, taking monks and shrines with them. Then Nobunaga's infantry uses their blasters to slaughter the monks before they get close, while their ninjas enter the temples and start slaughtering. 

However, the monks aren't less skilled than the ninjas in martial arts. A monk and a ninja trade a flying kick and both are knocked down. The monk gets up first and charges, but the ninja kills him with a shuriken. "Honor is for our samurai."

Ranmaru uses Fudõ to stab a monk that challenges him. Then he casts fireballs and burns what's left of the temples with his magic. 

He does have the upper hand, but it isn't so easy. The defenders throw big rocks and flatten even some blaster-wielding infantrymen with them. A monk punches out two ninjas before he gets Fudõ through his chest. 

In the end, Ranmaru confronts the leader of the opposing forces. "So, you are trying to create the Ikko-Ikki from scratch? Good thing I attacked you while you were still weak. If I waited two more years, you could have become a serious threat."

"I feel no respect for the dog of Oda Nobunaga. Your obssession with him will be your downfall, Mori Ranmaru. Stop your insane crusade, you might disturb Oda from the afterlife."

"Never."

Ranmaru attacks with his tantõ, but the monk lands a roundhouse kick to his face, drawing blood. Then he creates boulders out of thin air and throws them at Mori. But the warrior has another weapon, a red Beam Katana, and uses it to cut off the rocks. It's basically like a lightsaber. 

Then he retaliates with Fire Hounds. These dogs are an attack unique to him and charge at the chief monk, who creates a stone fence to trap them all. But, as he is distracted, Ranmaru dashes behind the man and stabs him through the back. Then he pulls out his katana and lands rapid kicks to his enemy. 

With the monk dead, Ranmaru has crushed every significant threat. Except the Yokai, of course, who are beyond him, and Stormwolf, who were so far useful to him... but he is afraid he soon has to push them away.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I hope you enjoyed the Loyalist, the fight with him and his true indentity. I also hope you enjoyed Finn in the duel!
> 
> Did you like Mori Ranmaru? Hope so!
> 
> Opinions about the Nutty Poet? Now you see her in action too!
> 
> The reasons some of Finn's friends or allies are missing:
> 
> Finn doesn't truly understand Chewie.  
>  He also doesn't understand BB-8 much.  
>  Rose is a bitch.   
>  About Rey, due to her horrible attitude in TROS, he isn't sure she cares about him. He only suspects it was the result of brainwashing. She does care, but he doesn't know because he left before she broke free. (Though that made her realize what exactly she had done and start her crusade)


	27. Mori Ranmaru

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The Children of Oda Nobunaga become too powerful to handle and continue the legacy of their deceased Master. They are going to cross paths with Stormwolf again!

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This will be a big chapter with a really big fight! Hope you enjoy!

After the Battle of Osaka and the return to the secret base, Ranmaru sets course for the primary goal of his campaign.

"My honorable followers! I am really proud of you! Together, we defeated the enemy's pathetic attempt of restoring the Ikko-Ikki and threatening the reign of the Great Unifier of Japan! They felt the fires of war consuming them!

But, speaking about ashes, we were not infallible! In Honnõ-ji, that dastardly traitor, Mitsuhide, attacked our great and powerful Master Nobunaga. We did our best, but were defeated. Nobunaga died on his own terms, and I personally cremated his body before I killed myself too. We fell, but we fell with honor. And we gave no trophies to Mitsuhide.

We will restart when it all ended! I am going to find the ashes of our Lord and use my flames of life to make him reborn out of them! This ash will light the fire that will burn all enemies of Lord Nobunaga!"

The leader's speech causes thunderous applause!

"HONNÕ-JI! HONNÕ-JI! NOBUNAGA! RANMARU!"

"Set course to Honnõ-Ji! We are all going to leave our secret base."

"Why?" an officer, reincarnation of the obscure leader Toshiie, asks.

"Because if we win, we will have a better main base at Honnõ-Ji as revenge for our downfall there. If we lose, we need no base!"

And so, the entire army marches to Honnõ-Ji. 

Meanwhile, Poe and BB-8 are flying with their X-Wing and sightseeing. After the prison's destruction, the Yokai suffered a massive blow. Stormwolf might have become stronger, but so did the Children of Oda Nobunaga, and the Yokai got more serious. 

The Nutty Poet managed to acquire a Frost Crystal. She wants to control the power of the snow so she won't be completely dependent on her paintbrush. Which, while awesome when used right, could be ineffective in the wrong situation. 

She is now training herself to cast walls of ice. Not only can these stop a bullet, but they can also be used for something to draw. 

Embry walks in. "How is it going?" 

"I almost made my first one."

"Why exactly did you want ice?" 

"It's a rare power among humans. And, once, I wrote an anti-imprint poem under the alias of "Snow". The "Nutty Poet" is how I call myself, but also how people call me, since that very poem is the reason I have a bounty on my head. And I started with ice walls because they are excellent for my paintbrush. They are also more smooth than stone walls, which are the other useful power."

"However, what will happen if we fight Ranmaru? I saw what he can do. His fire can only matched by very few pyromancers. I heard that the legendary warrior Anna G is even stronger than him, but we don't even know where she is. My point? His fire is far stronger than your ice or any ice. What happens then?" 

"I don't plan to fight Ranmaru unless I have to. I don't consider him the enemy. I prefer to hunt Sues and Stus. There was one who tried to get inside a squad of sword boys while being a girl and not a sword. Her goal was to take credit for all their struggles and have them be her personal servants. I used my paintbrush to draw a portal. She had no sense of caution and immediately went to Limbo. I believe the Stygians killed her."

"Our Alpha helped kill a Stu too."

"The one that was grooming Nohime. I know. Your... our team is renowed for hunting Sues and Stus. That's one of the reasons I joined the team so willingly."

Meanwhile, Hanzo is training the rest of the escaped prisoners. He is very skilled with his steel katana and has very fast reflexes. Right now, he is training Finn. 

Finn is meditating, however he still can't float like Rey or actual Jedi Knights. Toni was right, meditation helped Finn calm down. Hanzo raises a wooden katana and attacks the black man. But he senses the incoming blade with the Force, snaps out of the meditation in time and dodges. 

Then he calls his saber with the Force. When the wooden sword comes at him, he cuts it in half. 

"I didn't survive, I didn't kill the strongest vampire of an entire sub-species to fail something like this."

"How exactly do you measure your levels as Jedi?" 

"Throw a metal bar at me. Something replacable, at a certain size."

"Will do."

He throws a suitable bar and Finn cuts it to six pieces.

"DAMN IT! Still six pieces? How much training do I need for the seventh?"

"Why does it matter?" 

"Because I need one more to be a full Jedi Knight."

"Oh well... train, don't complain. For our sparring match, we will both use wooden swords. With this gear, you might be a big fish, or just a normal fish in a tiny pond." 

The two start sparring. Finn unleashes a flurry of slashes without the Force guiding his movements. Hanzo parries all of them and lands a spin kick to the man's chest, knocking him backwards. Then he strikes him with the wooden sword. 

"You do have skill and potential, but still a lot to learn. Get up."

Finn tries again, this time with the Force guiding his movements. He manages to catch the opponent's spin kick with one hand and throw him back. Hanzo is surprised, but he recovers and dashes fast, attacking with his wooden blade. Finn hops sideways and retaliates with a stab, but Hanzo jumps on Finn's blade and lands a flying kick to his face. 

"Ow! That hurt! But... I suppose you will say now 'Do you give up, my apprentice?'."

"Do you give up, my apprentice?" 

Hanzo chuckles. If Finn managed to predict this, it means he knows Hanzo was about to let his guard down... and he is about to strike!

Hanzo gets a jab at his chest. "That was clever. But I have powers, just like you. You will say now 'But I thought I surpassed you!'"

"I won't. Because I don't want to overestimate myself."

"If you stop this, we will call it a draw. Ki Pistol!"

And Hanzo sends a small bolt of Ki at Finn. The dark-skinned warrior uses the Force to deflect it.

Hanzo and Finn bow down to each other. 

"You haven't fought me at full power, Finn. But, so far, you did quite a good job."

"You too. You know, I only predicted your line because I knew you went easy on me."

"I did."

Just then, Poe and BB-8 return. 

"I spotted a massive squad of Children of Oda Nobunaga. They might be their entire army. They were marching with kamikaze planes, cavalry and a lot of infantry. They were led by that guy, was it Tamaru?"

"Ranmaru."

"Where were they going?" 

"I heard something about some Honnõ-ji. It must be extremely important for them to have possibly their entire army."

The Nutty Poet and Hanzo immediately realize what is happening! "By Amaterasu! He is actually going to do it! The madman!"

"What is wrong, Hanzo?"

"Ranmaru is loyal and friendly to Nobunaga to the point of slight obsession. Nobunaga was cremated, and Ranmaru plans to find his ashes! This is why he trained himself so hard with fire!" 

"He wants to fix his greatest mistake!" the Poet adds. "He wrongly blames himself for Oda's death! He wants to resurrect him!"

"That's not good. We must stop this. Nobunaga will burn anyone who opposes him. And, suspecting how powers are linked to your fighting spirit, he might be even more powerful than his right-hand man if reincarnated." 

Finn is worried. "I hope my training is enough to stop Ranmaru." 

"Don't worry" Hanzo replies "I know your willpower. It's really strong. However, this won't make things easier. What separates Ranmaru from Nobunaga is that he serves someone else and not himself. However, he is just as determined to accomplish his goals and has colossal willpower. He isn't going down easily."

Two hours later, Stormwolf learns that the Children of Oda Nobunaga conquered everything in their way. They decide to step in and stop them once and for all.

However, in their way, they encounter an ambush force from Yokai. It consists of many Yoki, Bone Samurai, Biwa Boku-Boku, zombies, Oni-Bi, Mudmen, Gaki and a Nure-Onna. The last one is a Japanese Lamia. Hanzo initiates the fight by a flying kick to a Yoki, but it catches his legs and stretches them. Hanzo, being the trained warrior he is, uses his steel katana to split the Yokai's head open in one hit. Some Bone Samurai fire arrows, but the Nutty Poet blocks them with an ice wall and draws a bazooka. Literally draws. She aims at two menacing Yoki and blows both up in one shot. 

"Don't underestimate le Bazooka, motherfuckers!" She fires the next shot at a quintet of zombies and kills all of them at once. 

"She is definetely a Nutty Poet!" Finn comments as he fires his blaster with one hand and shoots an Oni-Bi dead. Then he uses the Force to lift a heavy rock and throw it at a Biwa Boku-Boku that was summoning an icy Oni-Bi. Greyfur makes the heads of two Gaki collide with each other and they break like eggs. Then he unleashes rapid punches at some zombies. Poe is on his ship with BB-8 and attack from the air as always. They are also extremely effective. 

As a rebel runs out of bullets, he throws a big stone and breaks the scull of a Bone Samurai. Then he finds the gun of his dead comrade, who was pierced by two arrows in the torso, and keeps shooting. Embry sees a Bone Samurai decapitating a werewolf and rips his arm off with his teeth. Leah is in her wolf form, surrounded by six zombies. She exterminates them with the Six-Sided Strike and dashes faster than the human eye can see at a Bone Samurai who was aiming at Greyfur with his bow. 

Q is in his car, where he drives and, besides him, is a man with an AK-47. The soldier manages to gun down eight zombies, while Q uses the battering ram to flatten even a Yoki. 

Poe orders the soldiers to attack the Biwa Boku-Boku, otherwise the enemies won't stop coming. Finn uses his lightsaber and takes out four Oni-Bi with one slash before shooting a Biwa Boku-Boku. A Gaki lunges at him from behind and he desperately tries to throw it off. "Get off me, you little..."

Hanzo uses his Ki Pistol with great accuracy and kills the Gaki before it bites Finn. 

Then he uses his steel katana to decapitate a zombie and duel with a Bone Samurai. 

The Nutty Poet sees an injured soldier lying on the floor. She draws a small healing potion and gives it to him, while covering both with an ice wall. The soldier has recovered, but a fireball manages to melt the ice wall and hit the Poet, who now can barely stand up from the attack. She sees the attacking Yoki coming and the soldier desperately shooting at its face. The shots do little, but the Poet takes her bazooka and blows the Yokai up, while her back is on the ground.

Poe uses his blasters to devastate Yoki, Mudmen and the Biwa Boku-Boku. Then he dodges an incoming fireball from a Yoki. Q sees the Nutty Poet and the soldier she saved struggling to defend themselves from thirty zombies. The Poet draws a grenade and stops seven of them, while the soldier shoots dead three more, but the remaining twenty come too close!

Q rams the undead with his car and saves them both.

Hanzo and Greyfur fight off Oni-Bi. The former uses his sword to fire a blade made of ki and the latter pounces at an Oni-Bi and crushes it. 

Finn uses his blaster to do the last Biwa Boku-Boku and two Oni-Bi in. However, he suddenly gets grabbed by a snake tail! He turns and sees the Nure-Onna looking at him like a cat who has just caught a mouse. She is licking her lips as she constricts the man. 

"You might be the best prey I have ever had." she gloats as she touches his neck with her hands and squeezes him with her tail. But she never gets the chance to eat him. Because Leah gets behind her, lunges at her neck and tears it off with one bite.

Then she turns into her human form. "Anyone else who wants to touch him without his permission?"

The Yokai, seeing Leah's brutal way of dispatching the Lamia, start having second thoughts about keeping fighting. However, some mindless Gaki think about lunging at her. Finn shoots three of them dead as a warning. 

Soon, the battle ends in favor of Stormwolf, who keep advancing. However, this battle weakened them a bit and they need all the power they have got to stop the Children of Oda Nobunaga.

Meanwhile, the Children had faced opposition of all the Agents, who even had a Brandon robot. That killing machine had a strong flamethrower that could roast multiple people at once and could tank about a hundred blaster bolts. The machine managed to burn over ten Children, but Toshiie destroyed it with a bomb. He also used his shield to block many Agent bullets and his sword to fight the enemies that tried to axe him. Ranmaru himself used his Fire Hounds and decimated the enemy forces. 

Soon, he will reach Honnõ-ji and make his army far more powerful. And Japan will be unified under the rule of humans, under the iron fist of the Oda clan. 

For Stormwolf, this means a lot of death and destruction. An awful lot. 

If they don't win now, a full-scale war will happen.

The Nutty Poet is conflicted. "On the one hand, I know Nobunaga and Ranmaru. They probably mean just as well as us. Remove the former's thirst to rule and he also wants an united, free Japan with peace and no chaos. The latter also wants to help a friend. 

On the other hand, they have absolutely no morals about the way they will achieve their goals."

"The road to Hell is paved with good intentions." Q responds. "Though this means we can make them find a more peaceful way, right now, they have to be stymied."

The wounded are cured and the dead are few. Stormwolf is over their conflict. They keep advancing.

Both teams get closer to Honnõ-ji.

Finn and Leah are talking to Hanzo. "So, if we get all alive out of here, can we go to the arcades or a restaurant?" 

"I always preferred a museum, my lady."

"That's boring. We do get to learn, but I am a woman of action!"

"History allows us to learn from the mistakes of others, Leah. And we are in a war. There might be no second chances."

"I know it better than you, Finn. My pack often refused to give me even a first chance and I have been in tens of battles. That's why I love gaming, it helps me improve my reflexes."

"Why not do both?" Hanzo calmly interrupts. "Both have their own benefits. Find the correct balance between them."

Meanwhile, Embry is talking to the Nutty Poet inside Q's car, while "That's the way I like it" plays. 

"That bazooka was awesome!"

"It's my favorite weapon. Destructive enough to bring down even Sues. Also useful against vehicles and Yoki. Let's hope there are no more Yokai until Honnõ-Ji!"

It takes five hours, but in the end both forces reach Kyoto and the temple of Honnõ-Ji. 

"Ah yes, Kyoto" Mori Ranmaru comments. "The only reason I didn't make the main base here so far is that everyone would be looking there. It was so obvious. Now that we have so many successes, it's time to make the base we always wanted. In Kyoto!"

He reaches Honnõ-Ji and is about to enter. There is a guard who points his nightstick at him. "Sorry, but we are closed, young man."

"This place is way too emotional for me. I am here to achieve the dream of my life!"

"Who are you and break the law? The Emperor?"

"I don't care about the Emperor. Though we do end our names the same way. I am Mori Ranmaru, and I will make you let me pass!"

"You are the second madman who claims that. The first was a guy who wanted to molest an alleged reincarnation of Nobunaga. I believe both of you are insane."

"Compare me to that creature again. I will do to you what I did to him. I am the leader of the Children of Oda Nobunaga, and here to fix my mistake. I failed my lord, I couldn't save him. His last words were for me to not let Mitsuhide's army get inside this place." 

"If you are him, how are you still alive?" 

"I killed myself here, but I got reincarnated."

"And how do you have your old memories?"

"It's just my spirit with a new body." He throws the guard away effortlessly and gets inside. 

Outside, Stormwolf sees they arrived second. 

"We must stop this right now!"

"You stop nothing!" Toshiie throws a bomb at Stormwolf and mutilates a Child of the Moon, initiating the fight. 

Poe and his wingmen immediately lure the enemy air support away from Kyoto, because the kamikaze planes are really destructive. They are also three to one. "I hope the ground forces do well without us!"

The ground forces have to deal with some robotic samurai with steel blades, which have eye lasers too. Finn encounters one and parries the laser beams with his lightsaber. He even manages to reflect them and destroy the enemy robot. He proceeds to fire his blaster at some incoming ninjas. 

Hanzo duels with another robotic samurai and disarms it before cutting the machine in half. Then he fights a regular samurai and beats him up with Ki Barrage. Leah uses her pipe to clobber three ninjas and kicks a fourth one. 

The infantry with the blasters kills eight people, so the Poet uses a wall of ice to block the bolts and draws a grenade on the ground. Just as the wall breaks, she hurls it and destroys four enemies at once.

Q this time gets out of his car and fires his Drill Blaster through three troopers who had blasters. Then, invisible, he equips his sniper rifle and with tremendous accuracy shoots any enemy who threatens his friends. 

Embry dodges blaster bolts, arrows and shurikens and claws many enemies. But he gets stabbed by a Sai. He turns and gives a hard elbow to his attacker before knocking his lights out with an uppercut. 

General Poe Dameron shoots down an enemy plane and makes two crash into each other. However, he is forced to watch as one of his men is rammed by an enemy fighter and both explode. 

"Do they really want to die for a dead warlord?"

Poe then realizes how much people did in the name of the allegedly dead Palpatine. Only Snoke knew that Palpatine was alive, but he was far, far from the only fanatic. And that he would risk his life in the name of Leia... though it isn't just her, but her values.

Maybe the enemy fights for Nobunaga's.

The Nutty Poet and Finn observe as the Children put a First Order mobile turret on the ground. They had stolen it from scouts who tried to infiltrate Earth. 

The Poet has drawn a musket and shot four yellow ninjas, but the cannon is about to fire. She prepares an ice wall, but has no time to draw a bazooka. Finn has only one detonator. 

"Poet! Can you draw a rocket launcher?" 

"Sadly, not this time! They will kill me!"

"Draw a grenade!"

"But how I will..."

"Do it!"

The Poet draws a grenade and throws it above her cover while the cannon starts shooting holes in her wall. Finn uses the Force to send the grenade straight into the cannon, and then does the same with the chunks of smashed ice. 

Meanwhile, a ninja jumps above a rebel's head, lands behind him and stabs him in the back, while another ninja kicks another rebel to the stomach, then gives one more kick in his chin and with a jab at the shoulder finishes him off. Hanzo challenges both at once. He knocks the first one down with a flying kick and using Ki Pistol shoots the second one dead. Then he uses his steel katana to break the first enemy's Uchigatana and then cut him in half. A bulky samurai comes, but Hanzo decides to get serious. 

"Ki Musket!"

The shot is slower, but far stronger than even a fireball and pierces through iron armor. The samurai is still alive, though, and charges like a wild bull with his helmet. Hanzo does a sommersault above the charging enemy, lands behind him and unleashes a flurry of slashes. The first one is barely parried, the second kills the samurai. 

Leah punches through a robo-samurai and rips it in two. Then she dashes and lands a hard punch to a ninja's face, but a blaster bolt wounds her. She is knocked down, clutching the just injured arm of hers, and a ninja tries to kill her with his Sai. She stakes him in the heart, takes his Sai and throws both at more enemies. One hits a black ninja who had a belt of explosives and was about to fire a rocket. The ninja is blown up.

Little Finn runs between Ranmaru's firing squad, tripping them and confusing them, causing them to miss shots. On the other hand, Q doesn't miss a bullet.

Hanzo throws shurikens and manages to hit five ninjas who belong to the Children. Then with his katana he fights off two robo-samurai. 

However, the Children of Oda Nobunaga have their own champions. Toshiie orders his bodyguards to attack. They all toss fireballs at the rebels and even kill two werewolves. But Leah is not her old Alphas. She is going to fight through the end and never retreat even if she is alone. She turns into her wolf form and immediately uses the Six-Sided Strike. Six warriors fall defeated, but a seventh one wounds Leah badly with a fireball as she is about to pounce. 

Finn fires ten shots with his blaster before the Child of Oda can turn, all finding their mark. "Anyone else who wants to touch this woman?" 

Toshiie is about to charge with his sword, but the Nutty Poet has painted an assault rilfe and manages to shoot him. The helmet defends the general, however, and he is about to throw a bomb. Finn is about to send it back, but he gets grazed by a fireball. So, he and Leah focus on the warriors.

Toshiie chucks the bomb at the Poet, but she blocks with a wall of ice and fires bullets frantically as the wall is smashed. All but one are accurate... but the officer blocks all of them with his sturdy shield. Then he charges with his sword, but the Poet has also drawn a Naginata. The Japanese swords clash again and again. Despite the Naginata's longer range and the user's smaller frame, the Nutty Poet has a harder time hitting her opponent because he has his big shield. He raises it to stop a downward strike and lands a jab at the Nutty Poet's shoulder. The katana becomes bloody.

The Poet knows she is on a disadvantage, so she runs until Toshiie loses sight of her. 

"Coward. Now, let's focus on the royal couple." 

He sees Finn and Leah close to each other, repelling his guards with some effort, and throws a bomb at them. The two barely avoid it. Finn shoots once with his blaster, but the Japanese officer blocks it with the shield. 

Then he throws another bomb at the dark-skinned General. The Force user rolls away from the explosion and draws his lightsaber to stab one of the soldiers who had dropped his guard to spit a fireball. 

Leah dodges two fireballs and lunges at a warrior, landing a lethal bite. Then she jumps at another one and manages to rip his leg off with her teeth. A third one comes close to stab her, but she manages to break his sword with one paw strike and then claws him to death.

Q snipes another enemy who was about to shoot a Man of Crete with his blaster. A former Stormtrooper grazes an enemy, but gets shot in the chest. 

The battle seems inconclusive. 

Then a rocket comes towards Toshiie. He raises his shield to block it, which does save his life, but devastates the shield. He retaliates with a bomb, but his attacker dodges and fires another rocket, making a gaping hole in his armor. 

"But you ran away!"

The Nutty Poet draws her Naginata. "I didn't. I just made another weapon. Time for the second round."

The Poet and Toshiie charge at each other and their swords clash. This time the Poet manages a jab at the warrior's ribs, but he kicks her in the face with his armored boots, drawing more blood. Then he goes for a vertical strike, but the rebel parries at the last moment and manages to push the bulky man back and get up. However, as she tries to take advantage of this and attack again, he blocks the strike and disarms the girl. "Hmmm... for a woman, not bad. I guess I should not underestimate women... Nohime, after all, was a warrior and lived while Lord Nobunaga was still strong."

The small woman shoots him point-blank in the stomach, stunning him enough for her to retrieve her Naginata. She dodges another bomb, which leaves a crater where she once was, and attacks. The first strike is stopped, but Toshiie's counter is parried in a way it leaves him exposed. And the Poet quickly stabs him with the Naginata through the gap of the samurai's armor. 

She is surprised, since she actually managed to beat an exceptional samurai officer. Barely, but still.

Meanwhile, Poe Dameron shoots down one more kamikaze pilot, while one of his wingmen fires proton torpedoes to blast two enemies at once. 

"Good thing they have only these pilots!"

Alas, they don't. The Children have stolen something from the destroyed Terran Empire, which had made their own copies of the TIE. The DIE Fighters, standing for "Deadly Ionic Energy". An army based on the Axis would have some bases in Japan. 

They have two of them, which ambush and blow up two X-Wings. "We are cornered, General Poe! We need to escape!"

"I have faced dozens of actual TIEs. These look just as effective, but this means I know how to deal with them! Their gear is far weaker, but they are faster! Shields up, we will win if we trade blows!"

Poe does exactly that, forcing one of the Children to trade blows with him and exchange a hit. Poe loses his shield, the DIE gets obliterated!

The other DIE shoots down an X-Wing, but Poe attacks with his proton torpedoes. One is shot down, but the other hits the enemy fighter and destroys it.

Leah punches a warrior so hard that he is knocked out and then clobbers one more with her steel pipe. Finn cuts off the right arm of a robo-samurai and, when facing its eye beams, blocks with his lightsaber and reflects the rays to its leg. "We are winning!"

They are not. Because Fire Hounds charge at the members of Stormwolf and burn them on contact. Greyfur claws and bites three ninjas, but is knocked unconscious by a Fire Hound. 

"Greyfur!" Embry goes berserk and rips the head off a robo-samurai with his teeth. He avoids a warrior's fireballs and punches him in the gut and chin. Then he lands a flying kick to the man's face. Ninjas charge at him, but all their training is moot in the face of this enraged enemy. 

Embry finds the one behind the Fire Hounds. He charges through any enemy that stands in his way. But Ranmaru won't be defeated by a werewolf. He prepares a Fire Spear and fires it. It strikes the wolf square in the chest and knocks him out instantly. Then Ranmaru creates a lot of blazing swords and throws them all at once. The Men of Crete, who were easily repelling the Children before, find their numbers depleted. 

The half-Japanese warrior who informed Stormwolf for the Umi-Bozu is in the heat of the battle, shooting dead four ninjas and one soldier who had a blaster. Then he picks up an Uchigatana and manages to defeat a samurai. He charges at Ranmaru, but he draws his beam katana and cuts sword and warrior in half. The Nutty Poet, even though she was reluctant to fight Mori, sees her friends dying or getting hurt and fires a rocket. Ranmaru destroys the rocket with a stream of flames, which also melts a wall of ice the Poet has made for defence.

Hanzo dashes gracefully and uses his katana at two samurai. He seems to have passed through them.

They turn to charge again.

"Omae wa mu shindeiru."

Both shout "NANI?" and get cut to pieces. 

Hanzo provokes Mori Ranmaru. "Nobunaga will not see the light of the day!" 

Ranmaru glares at him and attacks with Fire Hounds, but Hanzo dodges them with high and long jumps. Then he fires his Ki Pistol, but Ranmaru stops the bolts effortlesssly with a wall of flames and retaliates with fireballs.

Hanzo dodges them all and sends Ranmaru inside the temple of Honnõ-Ji. Ranmaru chuckles.

"You fool! This is exactly where I wanted to go! Time to find the ashes of the Master!"

"Over my dead body!"

Ranmaru summons a colossal fire dragon, while Hanzo uses his strongest Ki Beam. They make a magnificent display of spiritual energy and flames, covering the entire room they are in and destroying it...

The power struggle ends after a minute, with Ranmaru's dragon overpowering the beam and exploding at Hanzo! Hanzo is already badly wounded, but he wants to fight on. Ranmaru charges with his beam katana, using Smoke Thrusters to propel himself forward! 

Hanzo blocks with his katana, which would snap in half... however, he enhanced it with Ki so it would be twice as strong and able to endure the crimson beam katana! 

"Hmmm... that's quite clever, Hanzo. Now you force me to a proper duel. However..."

Ranmaru parries a flurry of fast and strong slashes. 

"You are just an experienced warrior. While I..."

He kicks Hanzo and lands a jab at his shoulder.

"... am Mori Ranmaru!"

Then he lands rapid fiery kicks at Hanzo's belly, but the other warrior responds with a Spin Ki Kick in the Child's chest before hitting him with a very strong downward slash. It manages to split Ranmaru's helmet open, but the helmet saves the man's life. Ranmaru jumps backwards and unleashes multiple streams of fire. Hanzo barely dodges all of them and shoots with his Ki Pistol, which Mori easily blocks with a wall of fire. Then he creates blazing walls around Hanzo and starts closing them in!

Hanzo has many experiences. As the flames are approaching from every direction, he sees they are too tall to jump over. He momentarily is afraid, but he knows he must never lose his composure... and that his Ki can resist fire. He charges his steel katana with Ki again and slices the fiery wall in half... 

However, Ranmaru expected him to do this because he also knew what Ki could do. And he unleashes a cyclone of flames, striking Hanzo square in the chest! 

"Ki gives my fire a little trouble. However, our energy has limits. Your blade has to be enhanced, and it drains you of energy. I see you are tired. While my katana is made of hard light. I don't waste energy on it. So, when we get tired... I will be the winner. I can afford another barrage of spells!"

Ranmaru hurls more swords of fire and casts his Fire Hounds. Hanzo isn't discouraged by Ranmaru's taunt. He starts repelling the Hounds and dodging the swords. A hound bites him, but he cuts it in three pieces with his blade and then stabs another one. 

With a dash, knowing it's his only chance, he rushes at Ranmaru, unleashing a flurry of rapid strikes! They are faster than the human eye can see, infused with Ki. 

Against most enemies, this can be fatal! Including Yoki, and even Silver Moblins. 

But Ranmaru is not most enemies. He manages to parry every single attack and nick Hanzo's right arm, but his next overhead attack is dodged and Hanzo manages to elbow him in the gut.

Then the two trade sword strikes. After three rounds the blades lock. Ranmaru is far stronger, but Hanzo holds his own... Until he runs out of Ki. To his horror, his katana only lasts three seconds before it's cut in half and Ranmaru decapitates him. 

"You were skilled. I will give you that. Now, I hope I find someone just as worthy as you to duel... Or, at least, the ashes of my master."

His mighty army doesn't fare too well. Finn, hearing the sounds from the temple, has entered it along with Leah and Little Finn, defeating all of Ranmaru's men inside.

Outside, the battle is still raging. The Poet fights with her bazooka and takes multiple enemies out, while Q spots three enemy snipers and starts shooting them.

A Kappa who was arrested for being friendly to humans uses its tongue to choke a man who was about to shoot an injured rebel with his blaster. A Man of Crete uses his revolver and kills three ninjas before he gets wounded by a shuriken.

Two minutes later, Ranmaru's patience is running out. "Where are they? Where are the remains of my master?" 

"Looks like I beat you to something... I found the remains of my master first. You did this, right?" 

Ranmaru turns and barely blocks a blaster bolt with his beam katana. 

"The Jedi? Seems like the ashes can wait... this is a duel worth of all my time!"

Finn shoots him seven times, but all shots are blocked and Ranmaru retaliates with some fireballs. The dark-skinned Padawan dodges them easily. Then he uses the Force to push Ranmaru backwards. 

He manages to get up and the two laser blades clash again and again. 

"Not bad, my friend. I never understood why some people consider your race inferior to ours or the white one. Really, skin color means nothing."

Finn parries the next strike and performs four fast slashes, ending with a stab. Ranmaru blocks all the slashes and sidesteps the stab.

"I am not just complimenting. I am telling you why Nobunaga has to rule. Humans are consumed by their petty differences! This allowed the demons to beat us down, this made them create a factory farm of us! This is the reason and the way they did so!"

Finn barely blocks three quick jabs. "And what does Nobunaga have to do with this? Because he wanted to unify Japan? I agree with the goals of him and you, but not with his means!"

"His means are just the most effective way for the cause to happen! And this unification had to happen! Because a leader like Nobunaga would stop people from dying and suffering because of their petty differences! Nobunaga is the only way to free Japan from its chains!"

"I have no intention of burning cities."

Ranmaru pushes Finn back and stomps the ground, creating a fiery shockwave. Finn jumps over it and goes for a leaps attack, but Ranmaru closes his left hand and throws a Furnace Fist, a fist-like projectile of fire. It hits Finn in mid-air and knocks him down. 

Then Ranmaru summons two small dragons made of flames and sends them at Finn. He rolls and avoids them, but they attack from behind! Finn turns around and destroys them with his lightsaber. Then he turns again and sees the Japanese warrior crossing his arms and smiling. 

Finn is puzzled. 

"I know what you are thinking, Finn. Your next line is: 'Why isn't he attacking?'"

"Why isn't he attacking?" 

Suddenly, a geyser of lava emerges beneath Finn's feet and knocks him to the ceiling. As he drops down, Ranmaru summons some swords made of fire and throws them, wounding the man further. 

He sees his lifeless body lying on the ground still. He slowly approaches to make sure his enemy isn't pretending. "I hope he is still alive. I always wanted a challenge." 

Suddenly, a vase drops by itself, distracting Ranmaru for a couple of seconds. Then four blaster bolts strike his armor, dealing moderate damage! 

"What? A third opponent?" 

He turns to see Finn getting up. The two use their lightsabers again.

"Let's finish this with our blades, Ranmaru!"

"The one who stands in the end is righteous!"

At one point, they trade a headbutt that completely shatters Mori's damaged helmet, while Calrissian gets dizzy for a second and gets kicked backwards. Ranmaru unleashes a powerful stream of fire. Finn remembers his fight with Benjamin and sends the stream back with the Force.

However, he is not facing a vampire who was full of himself. He is facing an actual Master of Fire, who splits the reflected flames in two and prepares to unleash them. However, he ends up using them for defence when Finn sees that the center is exposed and shoots there. 

Then Ranmaru charges with his crimson beam katana again, fighting like a rabid, starved hound. Many fighters wouldn't stand a chance. Finn, however, is almost a Jedi and has a weapon similar to Ranmaru's. Letting the Force guide his movements, the young warrior parries many strikes from his enemy.

Ranmaru, having lost his helmet, looks like a young man with long, black, messy hair. He has no time to fix them while fighting Finn. Especially as he gets a scratch in his left arm. Finn does a sweep kick in the enemy's legs, making him lose his balance and get a jab in the liver. 

"Yes! This is it, young warrior! I wanted you to fight well... you killed that imposter Nobunaga! And I am torn between thanking you and killing you! Give me the fight of my life!" 

"I will! It's the only way to honor your intentions!"

The lightsabers clash again and again. Finn ducks an overhead swing and parries a horizontal strike, but Ranmaru jumps over him, lands behind him and goes for a backstab. Finn senses it with the Force and rolls to avoid it. Then he uses the Force to send all vases in the room at Ranmaru, who slices them to pieces with his beam katana and still has time to block two shots of Finn's blaster, one going for the legs, one for the head. 

He retaliates with a Fire Spear that Finn barely dodges. In fact, the spear grazes his shoulder. However, the Japanese young fighter has put a lot of effort into stopping that attack and drops to one knee to relax. He is now panting. 

Finn allows him five seconds of resting before charging again. Ranmaru blocks the strike and retaliates with four attacks, but Finn blocks all of them and counters with a jab that hits Ranmaru's ribs. Mori, however, parries the next blow, pushes Finn's saber back, making him flinch, and then stabs him right under the heart and lungs. Finn is lucky this missed vital organs. He struggles to still stand up and even blocks the next swing, but a kick to the ribs, the technique known as Dollyo Chagi, knocks him down.

Finn is on his knees, injured. 

Ranmaru smiles and raises his hot blade. "You did put up a good fight. However, I am still Nobunaga's most trusted warrior!"

**"STOP!"**

A booming voice is heard, seemingly from nowhere. 

"Who goes there?" 

**"I AM ODA NOBUNAGA. YOU ARE STILL A GREAT WARRIOR, MORI RANMARU. BUT THIS MAN DOESN'T HURT OUR CAUSE. I TRUST HIM. LET HIM LIVE. OTHERWISE, YOU WILL ASHAME MY CAUSE."**

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Will Nobunaga persuade Ranmaru? Will Finn survive this fight? 
> 
> Did you like Hanzo? I think he had potential, and I hope I fleshed him out enough.
> 
> Would Ranmaru act like this IRL? 
> 
> Did you like the Nutty Poet's first duel?
> 
> Finally, have a nice month! Also, please check "Broken Mirrors", from Anime_senpai004, it is a promising story by my best friend! Original work in this style, but only with OCs.


	28. The flames of Honnõ-Ji

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Finn's back is against the wall. He has just fought one of the strongest humans on Earth and lost. However, could Nobunaga's voice stop the rampage of his most loyal servant?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Holy crap, these chapters are big!
> 
> The climax of the battle against the Children of Oda Nobunaga! I hope you enjoy!

"Lord Nobunaga? Is it you? Is it really you?" 

**"YES. IT'S ME, MY FAITHFUL SERVANT. THIS MAN CAN HELP PEOPLE GET OVER THEIR PETTY DIFFERENCES."**

Ranmaru almost squeals with excitement. But he is suspicious. How does Nobunaga know Finn? He is wise, but... 

"Lord Nobunaga, who was your wife and how many children did you two have?" 

**"MY WIFE IS LADY NOHIME. SHE WAS CHILDLESS. ALL THE CHILDREN OF MINE WERE FROM CONCUBINES."**

Ranmaru smiles. "That's correct!"

Finn can't believe Nobunaga himself came to his rescue. Even some Resistance members used not to trust him due to his Stormtrooper background. 

Ranmaru makes one more question. 

"Which were your last words?" 

**"They were to you as I committed seppuku. 'Ran, do not let them come in...'"**

"I suppose you must be the real deal..."

As he was making his questions, his right hand was blazing. Finn's minor wounds start closing. 

Suddenly, with no warning at all, Ranmaru casts a powerful stream of fire at the voice's direction, revealing a badly wounded Q!

"How did you figure it out?" 

"I will give you a little credit, foreigner. You cloaked yourself and knew a lot about my lord's life. And you also imitated a spirit's voice pretty well. You could have fooled me... if I wasn't a master of fire. You see, I found you by using my powers to feel heat. And found the temperature of a human where there was supposedly nobody. 

I would have praised you... however, you did a big mistake. You disrespected Nobunaga!"

He rushes at Q and starts kicking him like he was a puppy. "I don't forgive those who disrespect Nobunaga!" WHAM! "You are smart, but not worthy to impersonate him!" SMASH! "He is beyond anyone else in this or any universe!" POW! 

With each kick he draws more and more blood, while looking deranged. He usually is really calm, but Finn could feel the fury burning inside the man even without the Force. 

He could not sit and watch Q getting kicked to death, Ranmaru already killed a friend of his. "Ranmaru, STOP!" He immediately fires three blaster bolts. These make Ranmaru turn to block them with a fiery barrier. Then he unleashes Fire Hounds to distract Finn. 

But he has been distracted himself... and Q, with his hands trembling, manages to shoot with his Drill Blaster in point blank range. It strikes home and Mori gets hit by the full force of the heavy weapon. His front armor gets destroyed and he is launched into a wall by the force of the strike. 

This wounds Ranmaru badly, leaving a burning mark in his body, but this only makes him three times as angry. He uses flames to propel himself forward and punch Q as he was about to get up, knocking the Drill Blaster out of his hands. Then he goes to kick his face, but Q grabs him by the foot and makes him temporarily lose his balance. 

"I had enough of you! Fiery foot!"

Ranmaru's foot gets surrounded by flames, burning Q's hands. Then the Japanese man cuts the right hand of the Greek sniper off, knocking him unconscious.

Finn has managed to dodge all the Fire Hounds... and he is pissed off. "You hurt enough of my friends!"

Ranmaru turns and growls, unleashing a stream of fire so big it covers the entire room. Finn barely manages to use the Force to split the flames in two, but the effort weakens him. In the end, the fire proves to be stronger and Finn is wounded.

"Nice try, foreigner."

Ranmaru charges using his Smoke Thrusters and his right hand is surrounded by flames. He lands a Burning Punch to Finn's face.

Finn has lost his cool now. "You have done enough!"

With the Force he throws Ranmaru out of the room and unleashes a flurry of fast slashes, but Ranmaru blocks all of them. The samurai's wounds from Hanzo, Finn and Q have weakened him a lot, but he is still a Master of Fire. 

Finn manages to stab Ranmaru in the hole Q created. This staggers the warrior, allowing Finn to land two more slashes. The young Padawan gives a hard kick to the Master of Fire, drawing blood, and is about to cut off his head... but for a moment, he pauses. 

He can't bring himself to kill a helpless enemy. Ranmaru might have extreme means, but in the end all he wants is to free and unify Japan. Finn agrees with his Greater Good...

But it is too late. For Finn, every single soldier matters. Killing even one of them makes him angry. And Ranmaru killed too many troops, murdered Hanzo and hurt poor Q badly. 

The Padawan goes for the head, but Ranmaru parries with his red lightsaber and pushes him back. Then he attacks with Fire Burst, creating a fiery explosion right in front of him and knocking Finn down. 

"You should have killed me earlier." 

He sees Finn not moving. 

"I won. This man gave me the fight of my life, and I beat him. Now, all that's left... is to find Oda Nobunaga's ashes. And then we can unify Japan."

Leah, who has defeated all the elite warriors of Toshiie and some guards of the palace, and Little Finn reach the room where Finn and Q are. "Q! Finn! What happened? Please, no..."

Leah gets the two out of the temple and uses her senses to feel their pulse. She breathes a sigh of relief when she sees they are healthy.

The former Stormtrooper has a vision. There is a Jedi with him, green with horns. 

"Hello, young Padawan. I see you did your best to defend your friends and this planet and still failed."

"Yes."

"Don't worry. I am Kit Fisto. An experienced Jedi and great leader, I could even fight Grievous, a cyborg who hunted Jedi for sport. Was slaughtered effortlessly by Sheev Palpatine. Do you feel weak for not beating this man? Don't. You are not weak. If not for you, Palpatine could have won. What happened was that the enemy was just very strong. And it was brave of you to fight for your loved ones."

"So?" 

"You and your friends have done him enough damage. If I give you a second chance now... you can win. You have the spirit of a true Jedi, even more than the Chosen One. I believe you have the potential to become one."

"Wait... if I have the spirit of a true Jedi more than her, then why is she the Chosen One?"

"There is a reason you can't be the Chosen One, but you have to find this yourself." 

Finn recovers, however he still has the scar on his back and some burns from Ranmaru. He sees Leah punching through the last robo-samurai.

"Leah... I gotta get inside again."

"No! He will only hurt you! He will only kill you! Save yourself! Please do not go!"

Finn doesn't listen. "We don't have another chance! If we don't beat him now, he will recover and we will have to face Nobunaga himself too! I must end this here and now!"

Leah sees him being as stubborn as her and smiles.

"I hope you make it alive and in one piece."

Then she is ambushed by four Karakasha Umbrellas. She moves faster than the human eye can see and uses her wooden stake to pierce all of them quickly. One of Ranmaru's men, a samurai, charges at her, but she punches through him.

"Don't think I will sit and do nothing!"

And she guards the door so no enemy will enter.

Ranmaru has lost all his cool. Hanzo weakened him, Q disrespected Nobunaga and broke his armor, Finn nearly killed him. The young man could tolerate these. But he can't find Nobunaga's ashes anywhere. 

He is panting. "Where are the ashes? WHERE ARE THEY?"

However, being the most wanted man of Japan has made Ranmaru a big Yokai target. The government knew he would eventually go to Honnõ-Ji and now a wall comes to life, revealing itself as a Nurikabe. It goes for a slam, but Ranmaru dodges it and devastates the monster with his Fire Hounds. Two One-Eyed Imps charge, but Ranmaru slashes and stabs them with Fudõ. 

"Seriously? Is that all you' ve got, Emperor Otakemaru?"

Some pots get animated and attack him, but are destroyed. 

Meanwhile, Finn is also stopped by a Karakasa who was pretending to be a normal umbrella. The Karakasa fires a barrage of needles, but Finn stops some with the Force and dodges the rest. Then with five shots he kills the Yokai.

He finally finds an angry Ranmaru over the burned body of an One-Eyed Oni. 

"Can't find them anywhere!"

"What's the matter? Are you looking for a pile of ash in a place you burned down about half a century ago and was since then rebuilt? It's not so easy to find..."

Ranmaru glares at the man and sends swords of fire at him, but he barely avoids them. However, he rolls in a perfect place for another Fire Burst... however, what happened to Hanzo comes back to bite Ranmaru! His spell fails because of all this effort.

"Ugh... I need to recover! I need to find the ashes elsewhere!"

Finn interrupts him.

"Why? Why so obssessed with Nobunaga?"

"Because I failed to save him."

"I had the same problem with a woman called Rey. I got hurt trying to help her. The fact that she snubbed me afterwards because the man who attacked her apparently showed her his chest made me feel even more bad."

"And how did you get over it?" 

"I realized I did not truly fail. If that time I ran away, I would not lead one of my friends to wound the enemy, I would not injure his sword arm and Rey would not have a lightsaber. And, trust me, I also had my second chance and succeeded in bigger odds. This allowed me to calm down and see the truth objectively."

"What do you mean?"

"You couldn't save Nobunaga's life, but you still didn't truly fail. If you weren't there, Nobunaga's corpse would have become a trophy. Because of you, Nobunaga could die on his own terms, he escaped humiliation. You did never fail, Ranmaru. And Nobunaga would be proud of what you did."

Ranmaru remembers the last moments of his life. How he did defend Nobunaga's honor and cremated him himself before dying too. If not for him, Mitsuhide would use Oda's head as a trophy. 

"I... am... no... failure?" 

"No, you are not. You don't have to feel bad about something."

"Then I can die happy. Goodbye..."

He is going to use his beam katana to commit seppuku. 

Finn is puzzled. Is this over? Is it actually over?

At the last moment, Ranmaru stands up and turns just fast enough for the human eye to see, doing a two-handed slash at Finn!

"... however, I want one final battle with you! Then I can expand Nobunaga's legacy on his behalf, just like Hideyoshi and Ieyasu did! Japan will be united and free! The world shall no longer be tormented by their hate due to minor differences!"

Finn parries the strike with his own lightsaber, also using two hands.

The two duel once more, using only their lightsabers. Finn is healthy while Ranmaru isn't, and this lessens the gap between the two by far. And it shrinks more when Finn lands a jab at Mori's shoulder. However, Ranmaru is still able enough to land a kick to Finn's stomach. He has recovered enough to be able to cast a fireball, but Finn deflects it with the Force. It distracts him enough for Ranmaru to land a flying kick at him. He raises his beam katana and attacks his downed enemy, but he dodges the attack and it leaves a mark on the floor. 

Finn Force Pushes Ranmaru so hard that he is sent through the wall. Both get up at the same time and charge with their blades of light. 

As they are clashing, the fight outside is getting finished. Leah is an unstoppable force, punching, clobbering, staking, clawing and biting hordes of enemies. She dodges a missile and grabs the ninja who threw it. Then she sends him at two more ninjas, blowing all three up. She turns into a wolf when seeing two samurai beating up her packmates and kills both with her teeth. Seven more charge at her, but she kills the six with the Six-Sided Strike and tears the last one's throat off. A bulky warrior punches her hard enough to knock her down. She turns into her human form anf d retaliates.

"ORA ORA ORA ORA ORA ORA ORA ORA ORAAAA!"

A ninja sneaks behind her with a Tachi, but she knocks him out with a backhand. 

Six rounds have passed and the two warriors fight on almost even grounds. The blades clash and Finn seems to be overpowering Ranmaru finally. However, he gets stabbed in the gut. "I didn't reclaim Fudõ _just_ because of his historical value."

Finn understood it well. Tantõ are like other small knives, far weaker than a lightsaber, but in the right hands they can hit really fast.

The battle is interrupted when the Yokai attack both sides. They are led by a corrupted Shibata Katsuie, who has been turned into a Yokai by Otakemaru, the king of the Yokai, who after the takeover was also Emperor of Japan. With him is the Black Hand of Night, who is one of Al Astor's generals, just like the Hammer and Tower.

"Change of plans! If we aren't united, we will both be destroyed!" 

Immediately, Children and Stormwolf forces forget they were fighting and united to repel the enemy.

Finn also uses the Force and senses them. He informs Ranmaru.

"What's your name... Finn, isn't it? We are going outside to take care of this. Then we can keep our duel."

"Do you have enough energy left for spells?" 

"I do. Just enough for a big Fire Dragon."

"And I have a single thermal detonator."

"Let's do this."

Katsuie uses his fiery spear and impales thres ninjas at once. Then he spins his spear to deflect some blaster bolts and creates Fire Boars, stronger than his original Ki Boars, who also leave a trail of flames behind. He manages to burn four troopers of Ranmaru and two former Stormtroopers. Meanwhile, the Black Hand fills his fist with darkness and punches through a ninja. Then he fires a Shadow Beam from his mouth to eliminate five enemies at once.

The Nutty Poet, cured due to a potion she painted, uses her bazooka and blows up the incoming Yoki and Bone Samurai. Then she traps some Gaki in a wall of ice. However, Shibata Katsuie unleashes a Fire Boar, which melts the wall, and another one to strike the woman. Before he can unleash a third one, Poe is about to attack, but he is forced in the defensive because the Yokai creates pillars. 

Ranmaru is not pleased. "Damned Yokai. Now they have done it. I am sorry, Katsuie... this is an act of mercy." 

And he creates the biggest Fire Dragon he ever did, sending him spinning through the Yokai and burning them. The attack collides with Katsuie, who is about to stop it... 

But Finn throws his last detonator, which strikes and wounds the Yokai, allowing the dragon to set him ablaze and obliterate the demon, freeing the General's soul. Then the two use blue lightsaber and red beam katana to defeat a lot of Gaki, Bone Samurai and Yoki.

Finn lifts a giant rock with the Force and manages to knock a Yoki down. Ranmaru creates a small fire shield to block a fireball and with his beam katana cuts an One-Eyed Oni's head. 

The Black Hand creates hands made of darkness and launches them at the two, who avoid them. Poe wounds the Black Hand with his Proton Torpedoes and Leah elbows him. 

Ranmaru gets inside Honnõ-Ji, luring three One-Eyed Oni to follow him. When they get inside, he ambushes them in the corridors, one by one, and kills all of them. Then he gets out to see Finn stabbing a Gaki.

Leah and Poe are fighting the Black Hand together. The Black Hand gets punched thirty times by Leah, but with another Shadow Punch he strikes the she-wolf, sending her flying backwards into a building.

However, Poe uses six Proton Torpedoes to bombard the Black Hand. One hits a Yoki and vaporizes it, while the rest create holes in the Black Hand's body. But the demon is not worried. He creates four giant hands from the ground and grabs the wings of Poe's ship. Then he prepares to blow the immobilized fighter up. But one of his wingmen strikes him with his blasters. Then the last kamikaze pilot of the children divebombs the demon, weakening him by the explosion. The still alive Black Hand attacks with Shadowkin, throwing fist projectiles from shadows, which make the wingman crash. 

However, Leah emerges and is pissed. The Black Hand turns and throws Shadowkin at her, but she dodges all the fists and gets close. The Black Hand grabs her by the throat. "Shadow Choke." 

He starts squeezing her throat, attempting to choke her. She can't escape his grip... but then Poe fires his blasters and injures the Hand again, forcing him to drop Leah. If looks could kill, Leah would have slain the demon. 

However, she decides to do so in another way.

"ORA ORA ORA ORA ORA ORA ORA ORA ORA ORA ORA ORA ORA ORA ORA ORA ORA ORA ORA ORA!"

With a flurry of puches she sends him straight at Poe, who blows him up with two more torpedoes.

"Woo-hoo! We are the best!"

Seeing the battle won, Ranmaru and Finn continue their duel. The former uses pillars of fire, but the latter dodges them... only to be led straight to a Fire Spear that wounds him. Ranmaru perpares another spear, but Finn uses the Force and blocks it with a rock that nevertheless is destroyed too. 

Then the two cross their lightsabers again. They clash for two more rounds until Finn barely parries a strike. He puts all of his strength, the ground behind him makes a small crater. The sabers are crossed again and Finn seems to have the advantage again. 

This time, he is prepared and senses Fudõ coming for his gut. He kicks the young warrior in the left arm and then manages to knock him down. 

"How did you figure it out?" 

"First, I knew you were going to do it again. Second..."

With the Force he sends Ranmaru crashing into a Yoki. Ranmaru slices and dices the monster and charges again. A rock flies towards him but is cut in half.

"I have the Force."

Finn lifts Ranmaru and drops him hard. Ranmaru retaliates with fist projectiles made of fire. Finn dodges many of them, but one strikes home and knocks him down. Then he sees Mori charging at him. He has to act quickly. All his friends are too injured and tired. 

Except Little Finn. With a squeak, he distracts Mori for half a second and the black man disarms him... literally. 

The beam katana and Ranmaru's right hand fall on the ground. Ranmaru's inital shock turns soon to a smile. Even though he eventually lost this duel, he has nothing to complain about.

"Ugh... that was the fight of my life, Finn. Thank you."

He draws Fudõ.

"Can you promise me something? Free and unify not just Japan, but the world as well. You stood in the end. You are righteous. Please, set humanity free. That's the will of me. The will of Nobunaga."

"No!"

And Ranmaru stabs himself in the heart, committing seppuku.

So pass the Children of Oda Nobunaga and their leader, Oda's most loyal follower and a Master of Fire.

Even Stormwolf attended his funeral.

Two days later, Finn and Leah are playing on the arcades again. 

"Quickly, Leah! Shake our guns so we can pull the lever!"

The lever is pulled and the clock drops on Tempernace, chopping the colossal fat undead nearly in half. 

"Yes! Eat that, murdering mass of lard!"

The next stage has them driving in a car and fighting off undead. They do quite a good job and even reach the target building. 

"I wonder, after those fucking ugly bosses, what's next? A three-headed bug?" 

"I heard there was a hydra in a previous game."

The boss is The Star, a warrior in a red hooded jacket who is fast and fires magical bolts. He also has scimitars. The purple magical bolts and a tornado attack leave the two warriors very weakened, but they barely manage to beat him!

"Wohoo! That was a hell of a fight!"

Stage 6: Hope.

The monsters here are the ones called Hollows, they have this name because of their empty expressions. They are durable and have invisibility when they don't get too close. 

Finn and Leah get rid of some, but die.

"Oh well. At least we got further into the game!"

"I wonder, Finn, if we fought Temperance for real, who could beat him in a straight fight?" 

"Poe Dameron. He is mainly a pilot, so using his ship could be considered a straight fight. The blasters can blow up buildings, while the proton torpedoes are even more destructive by far. Also, he is intelligent enough to form a strategy. So yeah, Poe could defeat Temperance."

"I agree."

The two get out of the arcade and then go to Honnõ-Ji incognito, where they have just rebuilt this place. 

"Can't you believe, Leah, that we wrote history?" 

"I can believe it. What I can't believe is that we actually are alive. Ranmaru was one of the strongest humans I have ever seen. And the Black Hand... I can't believe we managed to kill him."

"I can't believe I helped take down that powered-up Yokai, some Katsuie, though Ranmaru helped me in that one."

However, in the museum, they hear about another history from what they knew. 

"The grandson of Oda Nobunaga was alive and a child in the Second World War. He was adopted by the granddaughter of Yuki Harutomo, who also was still alive in the Second World War."

Leah remembers who Harutomo was and that this shouldn't have happened, because she had looked it up and the Nutty Poet could talk for _hours_ about history. Leah wasn't a fan of constantly listening to the Poet, but Finn was more willing. Leah still knew a lot about Earth's history, though. 

"What happened? What is this nonsense?" 

"Harutomo's granddaughter, Takara, had married Hajime, who beloned to the Matsudaira clan while they were 12..."

"That's severely, severely fucked up."

"Daimyos in World War 2?"

"Marriage at 12?" 

Finn and Leah can't believe this. Either everyone here is incompetent at history, or...

No, who could have changed history? That's impossible!

As the two get out of the temple museum, they find the Nutty Poet. 

"Hello, Poet! How are you?" 

"I am fine. I managed to paint a cybernetic hand for Q. It will allow him to hit harder in close combat. You?" 

"We got to Honnõ-Ji to see more of its history and if our actions two days ago affected it... only to be informed that both Nobunaga and Yuki Harutomo were alive at the Second World War!"

"WHAT? WHO TOLD THIS TO YOU?"

"The guides."

"I always thought they were competent. Apparently, not so much. Harutomo died in 1614! And even if he isn't so famous, how the FUCK was Oda Nobunaga alive in the second World War? How do you fuck up history so much?"

"I have no idea." Finn responds. "Though Snoke did preach that incompetent underlings are easier to control, this is not an extremist army, so I don't get why would they hire people who believe this nonsense."

"And we also heard that he had a granddaughter, who had married a boy of the Matsudaira clan."

The Nutty Poet tries to hold nervous laughter.

"At least Hitler did not win according to them..." Leah adds.

The three are walking, wondering what happened to history, but are suddenly ambushed!

A redhead, known as the Black Widow, aims at them with a gun. 

"You three are all under arrest, criminals! A woman known as Nessie told me that you" she points at Finn "murdered her parents, you" she points at Leah "bullied her dead husband, and you" she points at the Poet "are undermining the government."

All three glare at her. "We were defending ourselves!"

She approaches and strokes Finn's face. "The government says otherwise. I heard you three are terrorists and run a sex trafficking ring that sells young girls to thugs."

"Don't you think there is a chance they might be lying in your face? Do I look like such a person? Ask anyone who knows me. Anyone! I have risked my life for women whom I knew were not great people. I defeated Mori Ranmaru's reincarnation!"

"I heard you were in league with them the whole time. I hear the Boar News to look for terrorists!"

"The Boar News are full of shit!"

"I don't care. When I am assigned something, I do it!" The Widow shoots Leah in the chest, but Finn shoots the gun out of the redhead's hands. Then he shoots again, but she slides under the blaster bolt, grabs his arm and twists it, disarming him too. He manages to free himself, but gets three punches and a kick in the face and lands on the floor. The Widow prepares another punch, but Finn Force Pushes her back. Then he gets up and goes for a left hook, but she blocks it and punches his gut. Then she jumps over a low kick, but gets punched in mid-air and is knocked down. 

Finn uses the Force to reclaim his blaster and points at her. "Surrender!"

She uses a smoke bomb and blinds him. Then she grabs him from behind and with a suplex she sends him crashing to the ground. However, he grabs her foot and also knocks her down. They roll for some moments and Finn gets on top. He manages to land one punch, but the Black Widow throws him a bit far. Then she dashes, but Leah has recovered, runs faster than the human eye can see and with one punch she knocks the redhead assassin down.

She tries to get up, but walls of ice surround her. She thinks of punching through, but that would leave her exposed to a bazooka, a very fast woman and a man who apparently can use telekinesis and is a crack shot.

"You are one of the hardest enemy teams I have ever encountered, and right now I am cornered. But that's the thrill of a true agent... to fight against all odds!"

"That's what we also do often. Though... do you really believe we are terrorists?" 

"Yes! I heard you keep women as slaves. This is a disgrace to your gender."

"From the Minister of Truth? What makes you think he is honest? Have you seen us or him in action? We just want to free every planet from this tyrannical goverment."

The Black Widow doesn't believe it. "Many terrorists say the same thing. They tell the public they are freedom fighters and then butcher those who disagree with them. Some are lying. Others are delusional. Some organizations have both. Usually, liars are on top and delusionals at the bottom. I bet you even use child soldiers, and train them to be killing machines just like they did to me!"

Something invisible throws her to an ice wall and the pieces inflict minor wounds. 

Finn had lost his cool. "Who told this to you? I would never, ever do that! And I would shoot anyone who did personally! Do you know why? I know how it is to be taken from a family and bred into becoming a killer. I know how it is to be treated as more expendable than a machine, to be forced to shoot civilians, to be forced to not care about your own allies. I know because this happened to me too, and I wouldn't wish this on evil incarnate!

I am here because I made a choice. I was not going to kill for them. I was going to stand up for the victims. Not just myself, but others in need. To make sure innocents no longer suffer and die. And even if the Chosen One decides to defend the oppressors, well, I am not the Chosen One!"

The Black Widow pauses. With this passion, he either tells the truth or is really good at acting. 

Finn calms down. "So... they did the same to you, huh? Just like to us Stormtroopers... tell me, did they at least have the decency to give you a name?" 

"Yes. I am Natasha Romanoff."

"Great. At least they didn't have a number in your place to treat you further as a machine. I am not going to fight you. This touched a personal nerve. Did you defect?" 

"After everything these fuckers did to me, I defected. I also didn't want to kill for them. Not anymore. Now I try to atone for what I was groomed to do. I try to bring justice. I am more willing to trust you now, young man. But... actions always speak louder than words. If I see you are actually a brute, I am going to kill you."

"Likewise."

Finn and Natasha give hands to each other cautiously. 

Finn won't be caught off guard by an arm twist or a tazer in the palm of her hand. 

Natasha does not attempt this. "You have one chance."

The four decide to patrol for criminals. 

Suddenly, they are surrounded by police.

"You four are all under arrest for disrespect!"

"Disrespect?"

"Yes! You did not bow down to the big statue of Saibankanokami, granddaughter of Yuki Harutomo and Seeker of Justice!"

"Hold on, this says she is alive since World War 2! It's that Takara who shouldn't have been existing!" 

"What the fuck means Saibankanokami? And I would like to actuakly see if she is a seeker of justice, as she claims to be!"

"I only bow down to the Government." 

"I don't bow down!" 

The cops are about to open fire. However, Black Widow throws a bola and wraps the legs of two cops together with it. Then she slides under a shot and disarms a third enemy with an arm twist. Leah blocks bullets with her bare hands, allowing the Poet to draw a tranquilizer. She fires it and knocks many enemies unconscious. 

Leah takes out a policeman with a flying kick and Finn draws his blaster to kneecap some more. Then he uses the Force to throw five cops down. 

In the end, all policemen are defeated, but nobody killed. 

"I think Takara is the one warping history for selfish reasons. To have a special lineage and be worshipped. She could even be a Sue..."

"A Sue?" 

"Yes. I heard you are effective Sue hunters. You know how much they want to have the world wrapped around them, to get unearned adoration, and also they don't care about anything but themselves. And have ridiculous names! She could be a Sue" the Poet explains. "And so, because that name is stupid, I will call her Suebakanokami."

Finn chuckles. 

However, he senses someone coming from Honnõ-ji!

That someone is a young boy, who seems to be a little drunk. But what interests the dark-skinned man the most is the weapon he wields. "I recognize this knife!"

He remembers his duel two days ago. 

And, precisely, a certain saberlock he had with Nobunaga's biggest fan. 

"This... this is the knife Ranmaru stabbed me with!"

Finn runs towards the boy. "Where did you find this? I thought we buried this along with the leader of the Children!"

"I found what? The tantõ? All I know is that I was awakened to defend history, because someone is selfishly altering it. And that I was buried along with Lord Ranmaru, accomplice of the great Lord Nobunaga."

"I don't remember burying another man along with Mori! Tell me, why did you rob this tantõ?" 

"Don't you understand? I AM this tantõ! My name is Fudõ. Who are you?" 

"My name is Finn. Pleased to meet you."

"I am not in a good mood. I am here to defend history, our master, Takara, has given us human bodies to do so. Though she demands constant respect while swearing like a drunk sailor."

"Changing history can be truly destructive. Can we help?" 

"Sure, we need all the help we can find!"

The chaos caused by history being altered creates some voids. One emerges close to the five. 

"We have to stop this quickly. Quick, hold onto each other! I am going to touch one of you, and..."

Travel back to the past.

"What happened? Where are we?" 

"Exactly where we were. When is the question." Fudõ responds. "The answer is in 1945. Japan is under attack from Americans. Soon you will meet my friends. They are also living swords with a humanoid form. There is also our master, who loves calling herself Seeker of Justice and Black Widow."

Natasha's jaw drops. "Black WHO? I am the only Black Widow here!"

"You can settle this when we arrive. Right now, we have to hurry, or we will face..."

Soon, the group is surrounded by Nazis. 

"Not these." Fudõ responds. "I will not fight, it can change history. Good luck."

"Look!" the Nazi leader points at the rest. "Three non-Aryans and a Communist sow! Kill them! Kill them all!"

They have pistols, knives and machine guns. However, they are no match for the four. Natasha dodges some bullets and shoots a Nazi dead. Then she breaks the neck of a second one and blocks the kick of a third one. One charges with the butt of his machine gun, but Leah knocks him out with a single karate chop. 

Finn uses his blaster accurately and manages to shoot six Nazis in the head. One gets close and tries to stab him with his knife. Finn grabs and twists his arm. Then he knocks him down with a headbutt. 

He stabs another Nazi in the chest with his lightsaber and spots a tank. He tries to flip it over with the Force, but he is not strong enough to do anything but slow it down. Indeed, Han had told him the Force wasn't a tool for instant win. 

However, this helps the Poet draw a bazooka and land a direct hit, destroying the tank. 

"Thanks, Poet!"

"Thank you too!"

Leah throws Natasha into the air and the Black Widow lands a kick with both legs at another Nazi. One tries to stab Nat with a knife, but she ducks and lands a gut punch. Then she knocks him out with an uppercut. Leah backhands another minion of Hitler and then knees the last one. 

Fudõ crosses his arms.

"Well done. Hopefully they didn't have a big impact on history, Japan would lose anyway and they attacked first. However, these are not our main enemy."

"They are not? These bigots almost destroyed the world with their irrational hatred!"

"No. Our enemies are the Revisionists. Also known as Historical Retrograde Army. They seek to change history, but I don't know why. They probably want to fix some alleged mistakes. Or to just cause utter chaos."

"Who knows? The results can be absolutely destructive whatever happens. It could destroy the Multiverse itself!"

"That's right... the Nutty Poet, isn't it?" 

"Yes."

The five see Japan around them. No neon signs, no arcades, no pretense of peaceful life, no high-tech robots. Just death, famine, destruction. 

The Japanese know they are cornered, but they are not going to surrender. They are willing to defend Emperor Hirohito to the death. 

Fudõ keeps explaining. "Our Master used to be a gang member. Her gang killed people and robbed houses."

"Was she ripped from her family and groomed to murder?" 

"No. From what I know, she volunteered."

Both Finn and Natasha make a grimace that shows disgust. "She did this for fun? Not forced to?" 

"She told us she lost her family after a bombing." 

"And she had to inflict misery on others?" 

"Finn, different people react differently to the same situation. Sometimes, people with good families turn out to be monsters. Sometimes, people groomed into becoming killers turn out to be kind. But that doesn't mean the environment doesn't have any influence on people!"

"Yeah... it's really, really complicated, Fudõ."

"I agree. When you are a living sword, you are made to kill. It's hard not to be violent. That's why we needed a greater purpose. By protecting history, we defend the balance in this universe. Time is not a toy."

"That's true."

The five fighters keep going. Their feet are tired, but, with Fudõ guiding them, they all head to the Citadel.

It takes half an hour when the Nutty Poet proposes to rest. 

"I agree. We need this, because we don't want to ecounter enemies tired."

They all gather in the ruins of a destroyed building. 

"I hope we don't encounter more Nazis." Finn tells the others. 

"I hope we do encounter more Nazis." Natasha responds. 

"Is it too serious for us to play a game?" 

"No. Relaxing can help us recharge our batteries and be more successful. Let's hope we or civilians aren't attacked in the meantime!" 

Everyone but Fudõ decides to play some cards.

Everyone against each other.

"Full house of queens with jacks!"

"You are bluffing, Leah."

"How do you know, Black Widow?" 

"I have a pair of queens." 

"Sonovabitch!"

Her actual hand did have two jacks, though. And only them. 

Natasha manages to win four times in a row.

Eventually, Finn becomes too suspicious. 

He bluffs that he has four kings. Natasha tells him he is bluffing because she has three. 

"You are bluffing too, trying to expose us!"

Indeed, neither had a single king.

The winner is the Nutty Poet, who by luck actually had four queens! 

Leah gets the next one, when she indeed has full house of kings with aces. The Nutty Poet calls, but it turns out she wasn't bluffing.

After they all relaxed, they kept advancing forward, where they encounter other living swords... they are black, skeletal, with a green glow and all holding blades. 

"I don't know who are these, but I hope they aren't friends with you, Fudõ. Because I am going to insult them."

"Go ahead."

"They are all fucking ugly!"

"We are in trouble." the Nutty Poet remarks. "These are the Revisionists. They are a mysterious force that seeks to change history. They are responsible for this chaos. Everyone, get ready to fight!"

Fudõ wasn't fighting before because he didn't want to chage history at all. But now he charges first for the same reason! 

"Try your best to survive, my friends! If you die in the past, the time paradox will be something I don't want to imagine! And even if there is none, I won't allow another ally die! Not after I lost Lord Nobunaga and Lord Ranmaru!"

Finn uses his lightsaber and duels two Tachi and an Uchigatana simultaneously. They do have a degree of skill, but they have a weakness. If their swords are broken, they die. Finn cuts through their weapons and physical bodies as if they were butter with the lightsaber. Then he uses the Force to sense a sneaky Tantõ about to stab him in the back. Thanks to Hanzo's training, he can defend against stealth attacks. He lifts the Tantõ with the Force and throws him at another Revisionist.

Leah manages to stop an enemy Uchigatana with her bare hands due to her werewolf strength and exceptional speed. She uses her strength to snap the blade in half. Then she dodges an enemy Kunai who has thrown himself at her and with rapid kicks she manages to smash the monster to pieces. "You should stay out of land, fishbone!" 

The Nutty Poet draws a naginata and uses its range effectively against two Wakizashi. Then she stabs an Uchigatana. Fudõ defeats two Tantõ effortlessly and sneaks behind an Ootachi, stabbing him mortally in the back. 

He knew green glow means they only have cannon fodder here, but he still refuses to underestimate the enemy. When a Tachi thrusts at him, he jumps at the blade and impales the Revisionist with his tantõ.

Natasha Romanoff uses some grabs from martial arts to disarm the Retrograde minions. She even stabs one with his own knife. But a Naginata hits her before she can get close. She draws her pistols and guns down not just him, but the other Revisionists close to her. She even incapacitates two with a bola and gives a flying spin kick to a Kunai who could have stabbed Finn. Finn would have sensed him with the Force, but he was distracted fighting a Yari and splitting him in two with his blue saber. 

The Nutty Poet uses her uchigatana to slay a Revisionist, but now she has to duel an actual Uchigatana. He is a common soldier, but she doesn't use this weapon as often as a bazooka or a naginata. The two fight almost on equal grounds and the blades lock. The Poet barely overpowers and defeats the sword. 

"That wasn't so hard after all!"

The five are victorious and reach the Citadel. 

"Finn, were you a friend or an enemy of Ranmaru?"

"Yes. We had a honorable duel to the death, he used you in that... however, in his last words, he asked me to continue his lord's legacy, just like he did."

"I will make sure you do that."

"I don't agree with Oda's means, though..."

"Look at his goals. They and his effectiveness made him great."

Yagen and Namazuo, two more swords who now have bodies, greet them by bowing and the guests bow back. 

Then their master appears.

"Where were you all this time, you good-for-nothing sword? And who are these bitches?" 

"Whom did you call a bitch, you... " Leah responds angirly.

"Shut up, you bitter harpy! If you act like this, nobody will ever like you!"

"Our Saniwa." Fudõ informs the rest. 

"This asshole?" 

"Hey, four-eyed dwarf! I am the boss here, and demand respect!"

The Nutty Poet feels more murderous than when the Yokai kidnapped her sister... and then she would be willing to fight even the likes of Shuten Doji, a Yokai who can level cities effortlessly and his only weakness is that he is often drunk. Well, then she had no problem facing him sober. 

She was lucky he wasn't there.

Takara introduces herself.

"I am Takara, the Saniwa here... also known as the Black Widow."

If looks could kill, Natasha would have killed her on the spot.

Takara ignores the glare. "And while you stay in my dorm, I am the boss and make the rules, worthless bitches!"

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Yeah, I probably crammed a lot in this chapter. 
> 
> Enjoyed the resolution of Ranmaru's arc?
> 
> What about the time travel?
> 
> Opinions about Takara?


	29. Battle for history

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Stormwolf and Black Widow encounter the leader of the Sword Boys and are all disgusted by her. When a fight ensues, they realize the true extent of the problem.
> 
> Meanwhile, the Legion takes Rey seriously and sends a special monster to deal with her in the present.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> For those who don't know Takara, she is an abusive womanchild and Sue, she enjoys killing and violence, and Otegine, a human spear, is her primary victim.

"And just because you are a leader, it means you can treat everyone else like crap? You are irresposnible, rude and pathetic!" Leah replies.

Takara raises her fist. "I will teach you respect!"

Before she has reached Leah, Finn has got in the way, raised his hand and punched her so hard that he broke a tooth of hers. 

"You know nothing about respect."

"Ugh... this means duel, you worthless, disrespectful traitor! Come on, are you a man enough to face me with your bare hands?" 

"Finn, no!" Leah yells. "She might..."

"I had enough of abusive women!" He unleashes a flurry of punches, but Takara dodges them easily and kicks him in the face. Then she gives him a right hook. They trade an uppercut and knock each other down. 

Takara gets up first and rushes for a kick, but Finn uses the Force to sense it and avoid it. Then he dodges and blocks many punches and kicks, lands a left hook at her face and grabs her hair before kneeing her nose. 

Takara growls. "You will be punished for your lack of respect!" She throws him to a wall and starts viciously punching him with both hands, even drawing blood. 

"You useless, filthy moron! You should be bowing down to your superiors! I will teach you to attack a grandchild of a Daimyo! You think you matter even a little? I am asexual, and I have every right to act like this!" 

Finn is full of bruises. In the end, he is knocked down and spits blood. 

"Now, aplogize for hitting me!" Takara orders.

Finn flips her off and punches her in the eye, blackening it.

"I am not!"

Takara lunges at him, but he hits first and lands about eight punches to her face. In the end, she falls to the ground. Her body is severely weakened, she struggles to stand up. 

Finn, knowing she is still the Saniwa, leader of the protectors of history, and might be useful, hesitates for a moment. One bad moment. Takara uses it to spit blood to his face and land a roundhouse kick, knocking him out. 

"This happens when someone disrespects their superiors! Take him in isolation, Sword Boys, along with that worthless spear!"

Leah goes to tell her that she could only beat Finn with a cheap shot while he was handicapping himself, but Fudõ stops her. "Maybe it's better that Finn lost. We have a spear, Otegine, in isolation for no reason. The Saniwa's near-defeat will probably inspire him when your friend gets in the same room as him. Do nothing so far..." he whispers. "After all, she is the Saniwa, we sadly need her for protecting history."

Fudõ takes Finn away, leaving three very frustrated girls to the Citadel, stuck with the tyrannical, but battered, Saniwa, who thinks she has just achieved a complete triumph.

She did win the fight, after all.

Back to the present, in the crystal planet Kolaador, Rey is training her piloting skills with the Falcon. Kolaador is a planet in the Outer Rim, and Rey loves the unique for her sight of the place. 

She uses the Force to navigate the old ship among the giant crystal shards, avoiding all of them. Almost, one manages to graze her ship, to her minor annoyance. 

"Even at this level of skill I am now... Poe is right. This planet is indeed the ultimate test for pilots." 

Though Poe is not the only one who has beat the Kolaador Course with no trouble. Jessika Pava and Snap Wexley were also successful. And from the old generation, Wedge was the star, and Biggs also did it once flawlessly. Han always boasted he could do so too, after all he was the badass who did the Kessel Run. However, he never tried the course.

Rey is confident he could succeed, too. 

She decides to try something else. Use the Force to lift the big crystals. She focuses on the tallest shard and closes her eyes. Just like on Starkiller, when she defeated Kylo with Anakin's saber the first time. During the war, she was regretting that more and more. But now she feels pride. He hurt her friends. They were worth more to her. 

Just like on Crait. Rey lifted a big pile of rocks and saved the entire Resistance. 

Even on Earth, when she and Rose travelled there. She did close her eyes and trust the Force to defeat Von, while she also did so when she ate a popsicle for the first time... she made sure Finn was watching that one. That night, Rose and Leah did not talk to her and she doesn't get why.

She was just using the Force to eat! Was it so bad to flex about her awesome abilities? 

She focuses on the crystal and manages to rip it from the ground and then land it carefully on the ground. 

With Kylo and Sheev Palpatine dead, Rey is the greatest Force user alive. She enjoys being top dog very much. Mostly because that makes her able to stop any criminal or malicious organization. 

She practices with some more crystals and lifts them easily, effortlessly. Then she also lands them on the ground. 

Finally, she meditates, floating in the air, sensing for possible hostiles. She does not regret this at all. Because she finds that there is a threat!

The sublimal messages return. 

DID YOU EXPECT WE WOULD LET YOU RUIN MORE OF OUR BASES?

YOU ARE NO JEDI 

ENJOYING THE POWER WE GAVE YOU?

WITHOUT THE DARKNESS, YOU WOULD BE DEAD

AND NOW YOU PAY FOR YOUR TREASON

She is not afraid, though. What does she have to fear?

She rushes towards the entity full of Darkness that she sensed. She finds members of the Final Order, remnants of Palpatine's last plan to take over the Galaxy. They were all volunteers and elites, nothing like the poor slaves that were the Stormtroopers. She would fight them in any other situation...

But they are all as dead as their Emperor. 

And a creature in full black armor, with red arm blades like lightsabers, horns like the Hell Knights and slightly bigger size appears. 

Rey sees one last message.

THE DREAD KNIGHT WILL DESTROY YOU, SPAWN OF THE SITH 

"He can try."

She draws her yellow lightsaber and charges.

Many years ago, Finn finds himself imprisoned in the Room of Isolation. Takara had ordered the room built in case someone disrespected her. This included returning her constant insults. 

Takara called him a worthless, useless, pathetic dog and that he should have never been born. 

For all talk about isolation, Finn actually isn't alone. He sees a young man with a spear. Must be some sort of Spear Boy... though Fudõ said they were all Sword Boys. What, do spears count now as swords?

Also, why is he here? What has he done? 

The spear wielder turns to him.

"Hello, stranger. I haven't talked to someone for weeks. You are not a sword, are you?" 

"No. In fact, I am just a human." 

"Then why are you here?" 

"I am here because I want to defend history by your side... History being changed can have disastrous consequences. However, due to my past, I just couldn't stand your leader... we had a fight, and I lost. Barely, though... I am pretty sure she will remember me every time she looks in a mirror and a tooth is missing."

"Wait... you actually injured her?" 

"Yes. You have been isolated by her, I believe you can take my side."

"I am Otegine, one of the three Great Spears of Japan. Unmatched at stabbing." Otegine gives his hand to Finn. The two shake hands.

"Young human, I already like you. The enemies of that Saniwa are my friends."

"The name is Finn. Just Finn. I wonder... what happened, Otegine? I mean with you and her. Did you have any... history?" 

"It's a long one. That... doesn't really make sense."

"Tell me. It might help us save history."

"Oh well... I was in a mansion, which allegedly belonged to Yuki Harutomo. In the second World War. I knew something was wrong, Yuki should really have been dead of old age centuries ago. But Takara, our great Saniwa, apparently managed to have him alive and well as a grandfather. How, I have no idea at all. Nevertheless, I was a sacred relic in the house. 

Takara then married a boy while they were teenagers. And I mean very very young."

"Twelve?" 

"Right. Twelve."

Finn remembers the fake Nobunaga who was grooming girls who were fourteen. "And nobody, nobody spoke against this?" 

"I was just an inanimate object. I couldn't act unless wielded." 

"And what happened after the child marriage?" Finn struggled to even say the last two words.

"The two acted like husband and wife, even though they probably were too young to even reproduce. And they were all happy, until... "

"They were arrested? I don't think this shit is legal, even in this era..."

"No. But Takara, with her child marriage, warping of history and clingy behavior brought the wrath of Amaterasu apparently. Japan did the mistake of attacking the very powerful America, which responded ruthlessly. In one of the bombings, Takara's mansion was a target. 

Because of my value as a Great Spear of Japan, Takara believed I could save her and her mansion all by myself. While I was an inanimate object. I was effective in battle, sure, but... I needed someone to wield me and the enemy had bombing planes. 

Takara did nothing, while her servants did all the hard work. As a result, her kid husband died from the bombs. 

The Saniwa blamed everyone and everything else for her inaction. While her servants saved her skin and she didn't even bother to do anything at all, she yelled at them about how useless they all are."

Finn remembers Captain Phasma. For all her bullying and cowardice, even _she_ never stepped so low. After all, she was competent enough to save herself from the trash compactor and duel with him. She lost, but tried. 

Otegine continues. "And she also blamed me. An inanimate spear. For not stopping the bombing. While she did nothing to save anyone too. She called me useless and worthless and backstabbing." 

The spear remembers all the neglecting, physical abuse and degradation at Takara's hands. He resists the urge to cry. 

Finn's blood is boiling. "She is full of shit! In the Resistance, where I was eventually promoted to General, we had this quote: A bad soldier blames his weapon. Of course you, before gaining sapience, can't do anything without a wielder. A person can make a weak weapon awesome or a strong weapon useless.

Wait a second... you said Takara did something that shouldn't have happened in that period. Because I fought a reincarnation of Ranmaru in the future, was Yuki Harutomo also a reincarnation?" 

"No. The real deal. Suddenly, we had Daimyos in the Second World War..."

"This means she warps history... I wonder, does she send you in fights against the Revisionists? Fudõ told me about them and we even engaged once in a fight against them." 

"No. I have been in only one mission before I complained for her neglecting and insults. She insisted that the enemy are the Kebiishi. The Kebiishi are not the Revisionists. They are warriors dressed in all blue, far stronger than the Retrograde Army. They want to erase all anomalies from history. Takara almost got our squad killed and found us too worthless to repair."

Otegine pauses for a moment. "I have a very big suspicion. Takara is a Revisionist. She abuses us, me especially, insults us, makes us fight the Kebiishi and nearly get killed, tries to break our spirits and, above all else, warps history for a better status."

"I am absolutely sure now. That's why I asked. The problem is that we have now to expose her."

"Beware. As I said, Takara called me useless and worthless and treated me like I killed her family and worse for her own mistakes. She also threatens with death anyone who talks to me unless in isolation."

"She is an idiot. I never hurt Fudõ, even though he" Finn shows a stomach wound "was used by Ranmaru's reincarnation to _stab_ me. I would not blame him if he was just there and I didn't use him and then got wounded by something else, I didn't blame him in that incident!"

Finn realizes something else. If these Sword Boys can't exist without their blades, it means Takara is forced to lock them up with their blades. Adding her low intelligence and...

"Just as I expected. Moron forgot to remove my weapons. Really, how didn't you escape?" 

"The walls are of steel harder than a spear and she is going to torture me as an example if she sees me escaping. After all, for her I am useless."

"She didn't even use you. But I promise, Otegine... when I take my revenge on this abuser, I will use you in the fight. She will underestimate your capabilities. Now, let me show you that even this steel..."

Finn cuts a wall with his lightsaber.

"Has limits."

Meanwhile, Leah, the Poet and the Black Widow think about what to do with Takara while she isn't looking.

"Are you sure we want to kill the Saniwa? What if the Sword Boys get angry? I mean, I hate her, but she has influence."

"Now, Leah, I believe we will make them a favor by doing so. I mean, didn't you hate your Alpha when he acted as if he was too incompetent or abusive?" 

"Yes. Just me. The rest acted like he was always right due to his position, Poet."

"Takara has got to die. I can't let this bully carry my name." Natasha interferes. "However, who can replace her? Leah, can you lead?" 

"Yes. But I have my own pack to lead."

"Finn?" 

"He is also a leader and can bring the best on people, but he is really not suitable for this. History protection is not something for people who fight on the front lines, because you have no idea how many times we nearly lost him. If the Saniwa dies fighting, can inspiration alone protect history? Also, he isn't a master strategist. The Saniwa's planning shouldn't be just crazy enough to work. His friend, Poe, would be the most suitable... However, he mostly leads fleets and not ground forces.

And both of them really have too many responsibilities already, this is too much for either of them."

The she-wolf and the agent turn to the Nutty Poet. "Why don't YOU try to be a Saniwa?" 

"I do know history, but I, too, think this is a way too hard job for me to handle."

Hasebe, one Sword Boy that used to belong to Nobunaga, gets in. "Hello, ladies. I heard what you are plotting. And, as someone who despises Nobunaga for his cruelty and abuse, I also want to murder Takara. I still don't understand the meaning of "Saibankanokami". She says it's because she seeks justice, but is it justice to isolate and hurt our own allies for no reason! Is it justice to degrade our troops? Nobunaga might have been a murdering bastard, but he got so far because at least he is not self-disposing."

"I wonder" Leah responds "is Fudõ close?" 

"No. Every time he hears me insult Nobunaga, we end up yelling at each other. I believe both of us are tired of this nonsense. However, Takara never did anything to stop it. In fact, she only cares about giving respect to her sorry hide!"

"Since you are a Sword Boy and hate abusers" the Poet tells Hasebe "do you know a worthy Saniwa?" 

"The Black Widow..." 

A loud snort from a certain redhead later, Hasebe continues. "says she has a worthless younger brother. If she says he is awful and weak, it means he isn't like her. This guy is also apparently the grandson of Oda Nobunaga."

"The real one? And he... is alive?" 

"Yes."

All three women laugh hysterically.

"Does this historical fuckery seem normal to you, Hasebe?" 

"No. The Revisionists are having fun, obviously."

His eyes narrow. 

"But Takara never sends us against them! She insists the enemy are the Kebiishi! Mikazuki told us that Takara is not happy with history at all. And she sends us with little to no care against the people who want to murder every anomaly in history. And if we get wounded, in spite of her never commanding us at all, she says we are all useless bitches.

She is really lucky we need her to protect history."

"No. We don't."

Hasebe barely recognizes the voice. 

"Gine?"

Back to Kolaador, Rey is fighting the Dread Knight with everything she has got! This demon is far stronger and more skilled than the average fiend and his blades clash with Rey's yellow double saber. She spins her saber to block a double slash, but he leads her to strike a crystal with her saber, leaving an opening for a red fireball. Rey barely dodges it, but the Dread Knight only did a distraction. 

He manages to actually stab her in the ribs. Then he unleashes a flurry of rapid slashes and one wounds her shoulder, though the rest are parried.

The girl sees a minor opening and counters with her yellow saber, but the Dread Knight defends fiercely and blocks all strikes. Rey has seen the Knights of Ren, and even though one of them was competent enough to arrest Chewbacca or distract Finn in Pasaana, they were nowhere near this beast. Rey fails to penetrate the monster's defence, even by tapping into the Force.

The yellow and red blades clash and Rey uses the Force again to boost her strength. However, she only manages to be equal in power with him now. 

"Now it's a good moment to think about the friends you made. The friends you threw away for some war criminal." 

Rey won't allow this taunt to faze her. She knows brute strength alone is not enough for someone this powerful, she drops her lightsaber just like when she did so against a Praetorian of Snoke. 

However, due to the fact that she used it a bit often, the Dread Knight knows what is following. He jumps backwards, out of range, and just as Rey ignites the saber, she gets hit by a fireball. 

"Ugh... you are good..."

"I was made to fight Jedi and other powerful warriors who oppose our god. It's a pity you turned on the Great One. Right now, I could be following your orders."

Rey uses the Force, rips a heavy crystal from the ground and sends it at the demon like a spear. The Dread Knight, however, performs a powerful attack not present in regular Hell Knights. He starts spinning in place like a red tornado and smashes the crystal to multiple pieces. Rey shoots him with her blaster, but it is ineffective while he is spinning. 

Afterwards, the demon is a bit dizzy and vulnerable to shots. Rey manages to land four shots, but the Dread Knight doesn't even flinch. He retaliates with many fireballs, but Rey dodges them and hides under a crystal. 

She tries to hold her breath so he will not find her. 

Five minutes later the demon, unable to find her, spots the Falcon. He decides to try and wreck it. However, Rey uses the Force to choke the big monster and throws her yellow lightsaber like a boomerang, striking him! Then she tosses him away from the Falcon.

The Dread Knight is wounded, but he is not afraid. He stands on his knees to rest. Rey first reads his mind. She sees he is really tired and hurt. She knows she must not leave an opening unexploited and charges for the final blow with her lightsaber. 

But as she raises it and goes for the attack, her confidence becomes pure horror in a split second before she realizes that her enemy is about to spin. And no Force can stop what's coming. 

The Dread Knight's spin strikes Rey at full force and sends her flying close to the Falcon. The strong demon shoots three red fireballs and strikes her further. 

The Jedi is on her knees, holding her bloody face in her hands. She struggles to even stand up and tries to keep consciousness. With the Force she can still sense the armored beast. In a duel, only Kylo Ren himself has pushed her this far, so far. With Emperor Palpatine, she had help from Ben and all the Jedi, so it was no duel. 

The enemy is approaching with heavy steps. Slowly but steadily, ready to cut off her head to be sure he will triumph. 

When Rey reveals her eyes, it's no longer the beautiful hazel that attracted Finn and Kylo in the past. It's a bright yellow, that would make her grandfather proud. 

Back to Earth and World War 2, Finn and Otegine easily persuade the Poet, Black Widow and Leah, as well as many other swords, that Takara is a Revisionist. If she is, she definitely isn't subtle at all. 

"All we need to do is to make her confess. We are all sure, but not everything is just what it looks like. After all, many people show or see abuse as love."

"We get the memo." Leah growls. She had seen enough of these in her life.

Mikazuki goes to complain.

"Oh mighty Saniwa, Suebakanokami..."

"It's Saibankanokami. What's wrong?" 

"I am going to comment about your leadership."

"My leadership is flawless, all I want is for you to give me the respect I deserve."

"That's the issue... being a leader means more responsibility for you. Not just to order people around and abuse them for enjoyment. Also, we have a big problem. History is endangered! You are supposedly a grandchild of a Daimyo who should have died centuries ago, putting your lineage and yourself before history. 

A true leader puts their men and duty before themselves."

"Listen. I have lost a lot in my life, you useless, disrespectful geezer. I am asexual and this means I don't have time to waste with shitty things like love."

"Asexuality is no reason to treat others like crap! No kind of sexuality is a reason to treat others like crap!"

"DON'T RAISE YOUR VOICE ON ME, DEBRIS! DO YOU WANT ISOLATION, LIKE THAT USELESS SPEAR?" 

"No, not at all."

"Good." Takara flashes a wicked grin, revealing her broken teeth. "Now get ready. I need you, Namazuo and Hasebe to fight against the Kebiishi. We need them removed for the good of history!"

"The Kebiishi? Are you going to get us killed?" 

"Not my fault you are all weak cowards!"

"By the way, you don't plan or repair, only yell at us!"

"Because you should be able to take care of yourselves. Now, will you stop acting like Otegine?" 

"Not until you send us to fight the Historical Retrograde Army! They are warping history like it's a playground, and you send us to kill the force that eliminates anomalies or be killed! Yagen was in a coma for a whole week because of your irresponsibility!"

"The Retrograde Army? The ones who change history? They are not as powerful as the Kebiishi! If you attack them you are a coward!"

"A coward for preventing chaos? So be it. I am a coward!"

As Mikazuki turns his back, Takara whispers to Namazuo. "Arrest him. He is a traitor, he disrespected his superiors."

"No."

"I will make you do it."

Namazuo looks at Takara's face. "You don't look like someone who could scare us. Fudõ has told me what made you look like this. You are vulnerable like everyone else, Takara. And when you see someone bleeding, you no longer fear them."

"Very well. There are people who do respect me! Who are still by my side!".

And, through time and space, a large wave of Revisionists emerges!

Both Mikazuki and Namazuo shout "I KNEW IT!" simultaneously! 

Back to the future, the Dread Knight is launched through a crystal and zapped with vicious Force Lightning. Rey uses all her Force power and violently rips five crystals off, hurling them at the elite demon like rockets. But the Dread Knight slices and dices them easily with his blades. Two more come simultaneously, but a spin destroys them. A bolt of Force Lightning follows, striking the warrior square in the chest and knocking him down.

Rey, her blood boiling with rage, charges and unleashes multiple rapid slashes and stabs at the big armored demon, who struggles to block them all. Three manage to pierce his defence and she even cuts off one of his horns. Then the Skywalker jumps backwards and uses her strongest Force Push to send the Dread Knight flying. The warrior lands on his back, but Rey Force Chokes him. 

He struggles to break free, frantically shoots fireballs and one grazes Rey's foot, making her release the demon for two seconds. He focuses and shoots another, stronger and more accurate fireball. Rey dodges it and, full of rage, roars and charges, attacking the demon relentlessly. At one point she even kicks him, though she does no damage due to the thick armor. 

Cornered, the Dread Knight spins with his crimson blades and strikes her again. The woman is in the brink of death for the second time since the actual one, at the hands of the Emperor himself. 

She is going to give him some satisfaction. She drops to the ground and plays dead. 

The Dread Knight approaches with caution. He is prepared in case Rey gets up and attacks with her saber. Rey is still, she senses him with the Force. And when he gets close, she uses it to launch the ground beneath him and throw him away. 

As he lands on his back, Rey dashes, her eyes still yellow, matching her saber. She lunges, but the demon blocks the strike and the blades of light lock! Unlike the last time, where Rey and the Dread Knight were equals, now Rey amplifies her power with Force Rage, ignoring that it is consuming her! With her new strength, coming from the Dark Side, the young woman manages to actually overpower the armored beast and repel him!

Then she lands six slashes and even stabs the monster in the heart. The Dread Knight falls to his knees. "Don't think you have won, Scavenger... There is always a bigger fish. If you struggled so much against me... you need to train to confront my higher-ups."

And then he collapses.

Rey really wishes she could Force Heal herself right now. She crawls towards the Milenium Falcon. Some of her bones are broken, she needs Bacta after this.

Thankfully, her ship and the droids there have many. 

Meanwhile, on Earth, Poe and his army wonder where Finn, Leah and the Poet have gone. They trusted Little Finn at his care, and the mouse is currently playing with BB-8. BB-8 shows him his tricks, instantly recharging batteries and lighting a candle. 

Then they play hide-and-seek, and the cute droid uses his sensor and the fact that he doesn't smell to win twice in a row. 

Q is building gadgets as usual. His mechanical arm, drawn by the Nutty Poet, is modified so he can equip a small dart pistol by thought. It is weak, but has attack speed very useful for someone who has only a Sniper Rifle and a Drill Blaster, two strong but slow weapons.

Now he has made ten detonators for the two Generals of the Resistance. After he builds a blaster for the best soldiers, he plans on taking a break. He worked hard so far, and even he has limits. 

Poe sends Embry and Greyfur to look for the three warriors. After Leah, these two are the best werewolves and have exceptional speed and senses. He also trusts them to survive, werewolves have proven to be superior to Gaki or Bone Samurai. 

Now he prays to the Force they don't encounter any Yoki. But even then, they can run faster. 

However, the two are in a wild goose chase.

For who they look for are in the past, fighting against the Revisionists. Who, this time, are much more and tougher. They don't just have fodder with the green glow. They also have experienced warriors with purple glow and elites with red glow. 

However, this time Finn, Leah, Natasha and the Poet have far more friends this time. Fudõ was strong by himself, but now all Sword Boys fight by their side.

Finn stands side by side with Otegine, already becoming friends due to their time at isolation. Three purple Tachi attack the dark-skinned man. "There is no way you can beat us in a fair fight!"

Finn Force Pushes them all back and shoots one dead in mid-air with four blaster bolts. "Consider this cheating!" 

The others recover and charge again, but Finn cuts one down with three slashes, while the last one actually attacks, but the blue saber parries the Tachi and nearly breaks it. A stab in the chest later and the Revisionist is history. 

Otegine sees a Tantõ about to stab Finn. However, the Great Spear of Japan has a far, far longer range and stabs the enemy first. Then he sees a Revisionist Kunai, red in color. The Kunai is frail, but one hit can kill. Takara told Otegine he could not beat a "fishbone enemy", which meant the Tantõ and the Kunai of the Revisionists. Well, time to show her. He performs a flurry of rapid jabs at the Kunai who is charging. Before the Revisionist can reach him and kill him in one hit, the multiple strikes fill him with holes and he falls on his face, lifeless! 

"Who is useless now, Saniwa?" 

Takara does nothing so far but bark orders at the Historical Retrograde Army. For her, a leader means ordering people and doing whatever you want! 

"Destroy all these good-for-nothing living sticks! They are all pathetic weaklings! If you can't beat them, you are also as incompetent!"

"What's the plan, Takara?" 

"The plan is to crush those pathetic swords, worthless son of a bitch! Don't question me!" 

The Nutty Poet has painted a Tommy Gun and fires like a maniac at the Revisionists. "I am going to fill you all with lead! Especially you, Suebakanokami!"

She also draws a bazooka and aims at Takara, but a red Revisionist Tantõ tackles her and causes her to misfire! However, Hasebe kicks the Revisionist away from the Poet! Fudõ sees a purple Yari about to throw his sword form at Finn. 

"I am not saving you... I am saving an ally." He stabs the Yari in the back. Then he and Hasebe save each other from more sneaky Tantõ, green in color. Rounding off Nobunaga's swords, Yagen rushes to help after a green Naginata, seeing the two distracted blades, hits both at once. Yagen beats the Naginata quickly. 

The Black Widow grabs two incoming swords with her bare hands simultaneously and disarms two enemies. She shoots them dead and then lands a flying kick at a third one before twisting his sword arm and stabbing him with his own sword. Then she uses her bola to wrap another enemy and lands a spin kick to a Wakizahsi's face

Leah uses her super strength to block a sword slash with her elbow. The blade does manage to cut her a little, but Leah punches the Revisionist in the belly and knocks him out with a karate chop. Then she uses her steel pipe to duel with a Naginata. Her speed clashes with the enemy's skill, neither seeming to overpower each other. And then a green Yari stabs Leah in the back. However, Higekiri cuts the Yari down to size quickly. 

"Don't underestimate the Beard Cutter... it compliments my sharpness."

The Naginata charges at him, but Higekiri takes him out too. Leah gets up by herself, though, and her wounds start closing.

"Thanks, I am fine." She dashes faster than a human can see and strikes a red Uchigatana. The elite Revisionist calls five more Uchigatanas, all with a purple glow. 

Leah sees she can't win in human form. So, she shifts into a wolf and uses the Six-Sided Strike, taking all six Revisionists out. A Yari comes at her, but the Black Widow charges, shoots a Kunai that comes at her, elbows the Yari and lands three rapid kicks at him. The Yari turns and actually attacks with a jab, but it only grazes the Black Widow and she grabs him, knocking him out with a suplex. 

"If I wasn't training for many years to be a machine like you, it wouldn't be so easy!"

Gokotai, another Tantõ, sneaks behind an Uchigatana who is cornering Hasebe and stabs him in the back. 

Tarõtachi, an Ootachi who is slow but durable, gets attacked by three basic Retrograde Tantõ. He barely manages to parry the first swift attack, but the other two flank and stab the Ootachi. 

"You are good..."

Tarõtachi swings his blade once and kills all three at once. "But I am stronger." 

A bulky, red Ootachi is fighting the Nutty Poet. He has survived a round of the Tommy Gun and now uses his range to keep up with her naginata. She uses her smaller frame to dodge and block his attacks, however he is too strong to be pushed back. She lands a jab at his knee, but he knocks her down with a kick. 

She sees he is slow, but too strong and durable for a straight fight. So, she retreats until she reaches a safe distance. Then she blows him up with her bazooka. 

Iwatooshi, a Naginata, manages to repel four enemies at once and kill all of them. However, he is injured by a Kunai. Yagen duels with a purple Tachi and gets a wound that would cut his arm off if it was a bit deeper. A red Tantõ manages to actually stab Natasha in the ribs and punch her. Fudõ slashes and wounds the leg of a green Ootachi, but gets struck by a Naginata.

However, Yoshimitsu, the only Tsurugi, heals the rest of the Sword Boys. He tanks the hit of a Wakizashi and knocks him out in two slashes.

Otegine stabs a Revisionist Uchigatana in the chest while Finn slashes a Tachi with his lightsaber.

Takara sees Natasha shooting another Revisionist dead. "The fools? Do they know who I am? I am the Black Widow!"

She hops from her chair and charges at Otegine. He is useless, he did nothing while her family was bombed, at least the one she created, and she is going to teach him a lesson! 

"No. I am the Black Widow."

Natasha stops Takara in her tracks and with a kick knocks her down. 

Takara gets up and throws a jab, but the Black Widow dodges it. She blocks the next hook and gives a headbutt. Takara punches Natasha in the gut and throws her to the floor. 

"I lost anyone I had loved. I was cursed to be asexual. I am going to remake history again and again for a perfect childhood."

"Asexuality is no curse. And, believe me, I have suffered too. I got sterilized in an attempt to act more as a killer and less as a person."

"You joined a gang, too?" 

"More like forced into it!" 

"Oh, we are really alike!"

"No. We are not. You volunteered to murder. You were not abused, you were abusing the Sword Boys. They told me about your isolations. You are a monster, Takara."

The false Black Widow charges with her hand closed...

But the Nutty Poet elbows her hard and knocks her down.

"I really wanted to do this, Suebakanokami!"

The Poet points her bazooka at her. 

Takara hesitates. "No... how can they... "

Both girls are ready to beat her up.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Enjoyed Finn vs Takara? They might meet again. 
> 
> Did you like the Dread Knight and Rey's re(y)turn? 
> 
> In the next chapter, the final battle!


	30. Battle against an abuser

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Takara is cornered! She has been exposed, and now everyone wants her head.
> 
> She doesn't intend to go down without a fight.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This is it! The final chapter of the Japanese arc and the last chapter in the past!

Takara's back is against the wall. The Nutty Poet fires her bazooka at her, but a Revisionist Kunai dashes fast and takes the hit. Takara retaliates by using the weapon of a former gun member, gunpowder, throwing it at the Poet's eyes. Then she charges to punch her, but the Black Widow jumps and lands a flying kick at her face. Then she knees her between the legs and punches her ear, but Takara grabs her neck and smashes her head to the floor!

She keeps smashing until the Poet charges with a Naginata and stabs her in the ribs. Then she strikes her with the long blade and knocks her down. The Revisionist gets up and tries to kick her, but the Poet dodges the attack and elbows her. Takara attempts to strangle her, but Natasha attacks with an axe kick and leaves a bruise in her head.

Then both girls punch Takara in the jaw simultaneously and she gets knocked backwards. She throws a brick, but the Poet makes a wall of ice and blocks it. Then she paints a gun and starts shooting the bricks and at Takara, while using the wall as cover. The Black Widow fires her gun too and actually grazes Takara's arm.

Meanwhile, Mikazuki fights alongside his friend, Juzumaru, and they have a sort of competition. "Juzumaru-dono, the one who kills the most Revisionists wins!"

"Ok! Count the heads for score!"

"Shame Orochi isn't here!"

Mikazuki manages to duck a slash, block another one and hit an enemy with his blade. Juzumaru gets a jab in the shoulder, but retaliates with a much stronger strike and brings a Revisionist down.

Both Tachi fight off more Revisionists. At one point, they are surrounded by five Uchigatanas. The first enemy falls when Juzumaru blocks a hit and Mikazuki stabs the Retrograde soldier. However, the remaining four enemies use their numbers well. Two block the strikes of the stronger Tachi and keep defending. The other two attack from behind and both Tachi are wounded! They are glad they are Tachi at this moment and can take a hit.

They keep fighting back, making sure they are no longer surrounded, and they lure two Revisionists each in the corridors, focing them to fight one by one and get killed.

Leah is in the doghouse. She manages to punch through a Wakizashi, but a Kunai stabs her in the back. The Kunai also has a red glow, showing his high rank. Leah turns, in spite of her wound, and takes him out with three rapid kicks, but she has to recover for a little while.

Namazuo comes rushing in and defends the lady from a Yari, fighting him to a standstill.

The Historical Retrograde Army is thinning. However, they are no pushovers. Hasebe is surrounded by ten Revisionists and defeats seven, but gets knocked out. He is only the first, as shortly after Iwatooshi manages to knock out three Tantõ fodder at once, but is ambused by a purple Tachi and taken out quickly.

"Drop your head and die already!" yells Ookanehira, a proud Tachi, as he attacks a red Tantõ who keeps dodging every attack with hardly any effort.

Otegine stabs two more Revisionists, while Finn uses his saber to strike an Uchigatana. The dark-skinned Padawan doesn't worry about backstabs, for he has the Force to sense them. And if he can't, Otegine, who proves to be anything but useless, has his back.

The battle soon escalates as a third, powerful force arrives. The Yokai weren't ruling Japan in the Second World War, but they were always powerful. This time, it's an army of giant spiders, led by Joro-Gumo. They are aiming for Takara, who is getting way too dangerous. And they have joined forces with the powerful Kebiishi, blue-clad warriors who erase every history anomaly.

The Kebiishi loathe Takara, because not only does she not belong in history and warps it for selfish reasons, but she was leading both armies that meddle with the timeline. But, worst of all, she knew their role and led the Sword Boys to many attacks at the Kebiishi, who are understandably furious.

Namazuo is about to duel against an elite Uchigatana. He has a slight wound by that Yari, but he still stands his ground. However, one of the Kebiishi, a Tantõ, kills the elite in a single backstab.

Fudõ defeats an Ootachi by dodging his attacks until the enemy is tired out and then stabbing him five times. However, he is wrapped in the web of a giant spider. He barely manages to free himself with his sword form, but an Uchigatana of the Kebiishi knocks him out just as he does.

Joro-Gumo wraps Yagen in her web and starts playing with him, while Mikazuki and Juzumaru, who have defeated over eight enemies each, with bad injuries, are worried when they see a Kebiishi Tachi advancing at them.

The first one to kill a giant spider is actually a Retrograde Yari, red in color, who stabs it in the eyes mortally. Finn is the second one, shooting one in the legs, dodging a stream of web and leaping with his lightsaber, stabbing the spider through the head.

"I could flip you backwards, but that would be just wrong."

Otegine impales another Revisionist and spots the new enemies. "Kebiishi at the Citadel? What have you DONE, Takara?"

Takara can't hear him. She is currently getting a beating from both the Nutty Poet and the Black Widow. She tries to throw a punch, but both dodge and Natasha twists her arm, while the Poet has painted a brass knuckle and punches her gut really hard many times, drawing blood.

The abusive Saniwa manages to shove both away and uses the only effective technique at this moment.

Running away.

The two women chase her, but are blocked by one of the Kebiishi, a Wakizashi. "You two don't belong here."

Leah still hasn't fully recovered. She watches as the already Namazuo is losing against the fresh Kebiishi. She is getting up to help... but Takara points a silver knife at her. She wants to kill her enemy, who seems helpless right now.

"Don't you fucking move, you disrespectful bitter harpy! I am going to stab you with this silver knife! This will break the spirits of your insolent friends!"

Leah looks horrified, she even trembles for a bit.

Takara leaves a sadistic laugh as she is planning to carve the shapeshifter with the knife. "Hold still now, heh heh heh... I don't want to see you move."

She raises the knife...

And is suddenly launched into a wall.

But Finn didn't save Leah with the Force.

Leah just punched at full speed.

"What happened? Who..."

"I was only acting helpless. You should try acting. People could like your persona."

Takara runs away in all fours.

A big Kebiishi Naginata strikes a Revisionist, Mikazuki and Juzumaru at once. His friend, the Tachi, was distracted by Onimaru, who actually used his name to confuse two Yokai spiders.

Onimaru is wounded, but actually injures the enemy Tachi in the leg slightly.

Juzumaru is cornered by the Naginata, but Mikazuki takes a hit and falls unconscious. "Mikazuki-dono! No!"

Enraged, Juzumaru attacks the Kebiishi viciously and starts inflicting injuries. "Nobody hurts Mikazuki! -dono! Not on my watch!"

However, the Naginata fights back and lands another hit. "I am still a Kebiishi, and you are an anomaly!"

In the end, both guardians of history are knocked unconscious.

A weakened Takara keeps running... only to encounter Finn, holding Otegine in one hand and his ribs, injured by a Revisionist Tantõ, in the other.

[Fairy Tail: Natsu Theme](https://youtu.be/0lGzvsCc1G8)

"Your next line is: Do you want a rematch?"

"Do you want a rematch?"

Takara's mouth stays open. Then Finn points Otegine at her.

"This time, I am going to use the spear you abused. Next you will say: If you couldn't beat me with your bare hands, how do you believe you can win with that worthless spear?"

"If you couldn't beat me with your bare hands, how do you believe you can win with that worthless spear?"

"And, finally, you will say: Stop doing that!"

"Stop doing that!"

Finn smiles as Takara starts throwing her most furious punches at him. He effortlessly dodges all of them and refuses to even attack. He even swings his body like a dancer to avoid her moves, and she doesn't even get to touch him.

"What's wrong, Takara? Can't land a single hit?"

Finn chuckles as he dodges three more punches by sidestepping.

"You think you could truly match me because of your earlier victory? I let you win, for it would help me free your prisoners. That's why I stopped. This would be the perfect result for me."

He swings his waist and dodges a hook. "Heh. If I killed you on the spot, you could be a martyr. And people would hate me." He sidesteps another punch.

Takara starts attacking more and more angrily, she is now wildly swinging her fists, not even hitting Finn once. He uses the Force and manages to avoid them all. The abusive Saniwa loses her cool completely.

"What do you mean? Both you and your stupid spear are good for nothing!"

"I mean that I let you win to give you a false sense of superiority! I mean you don't even have half my skills. I mean that I planned every little detail for your downfall!"

Finn is lying through his teeth, his defeat was legitimate, but he knows right now that Takara is bying it and he makes sure he breaks her spirit.

As he keeps avoiding every single attack, Leah is in her wolf form, using the Six-Sided Strike at four Revisionists and two spiders. Then she saves Yagen from Joro-Gumo with the help of Higekiri and Hizamaru. However, they still can't beat the Yokai for good, since they all have wounds.

The Nutty Poet with her bazooka blows a spider up, while the Black Widow dodges the attacks of a Kebiishi, but does not find any openings. When she shoots him, he uses his blade and cuts the bullets in half. However, a spear stabs the Kebiishi in the back.

It's Tonbokiri, another Yari. One of the Great Spears of Japan and friend with Otegine. Nihongou, the third spear, is now fighting two enemy Uchigatana simultaneously. And he uses his sturdy hilt to parry both at once. He cringes a little in pain, but he kicks one of the enemies backwards and stabs the other quickly.

A young boy enters the Citadel and sees the Sword Boys wounded and some beaten.

"Who are you?" one of the Kebiishi asks.

"I am the Saniwa's little brother. Had to act like the grandson of Oda Nobunaga at the orders of our father."

"So, you are an anomaly too. Anomalies have to be exterminated."

"No, wait! I am here to set things right. I know you, Kebiishi. You want to preserve history. So do I. I want to see it back to normal. These humanoid historical swords are not your enemy. They just want to protect history at all costs. The Historical Retrograde Army is your enemy, who want to warp history because they think they will erase humanity's mistakes.

I was sent here to change history. But I refused. I am here to stand up to Takara. She always abused me and sometimes beat me up for no reason. She is a Retrograde officer, and wants to destroy both you and the historical blades.

I offer a truce, at least temporary, until she is down."

"You have guts, boy. I like that. If what you say is right, I accept your truce and won't attack the Sword Boys anymore."

The boy gets to the wounded Sword Boys and starts healing them, while a Kebiishi is cutting a Revisionist down to size behind him.

After he heals some swords, including Mikazuki and Juzumaru, they ask who he is.

"I am Yuji, Takara's brother. And I am here to end the reign of the tyrant."

"Can you fight?"

"No... but I can do something else. I have a plan to beat the Retrogrades, organized. I also persuaded the Kebiishi not to attack us for now."

Takara throws another punch, but Finn weaves and gets behind her, giving her an elbow in the back. She turns only to be kicked in the arm and punched in the face.

As she is knocked down, she sees Yuji talking to the Sword Boys. "What is my worthless brother doing? Is he acting like he will take my place, the little shit? He can't even make anyone respect him! He can't even fight!"

She charges at him, completely ignoring that she is fighting someone else... only to suddenly fall on her face!

"No running away, coward."

"But... what hit me?" Takara asks.

Finn allows her to get up and strikes her with Otegine.

"Nothing. You just fell on her own."

Takara is gritting her teeth. _He... he is making her look like a moron. He is mocking her. Not an inch of respect. She is going to make him pay._

"What did you do? You did not have that magic before!" She throws another punch, strong enough to rip through iron, and misses again.

"I have planned every little detail! Every little detail! Every little detail!"

The words are ringing in Takara's ears again and again. She loses focus and throws a fit. "Disrespectful! TRAITOR!"

This time she performs a flying kick, too fast for most people to see! She focuses all of her power, she has practiced the kick in a stone wall and broke it.

She would definitely injure Finn... if he did not sense this with the Force. He barely manages to avoid the attack using his senses and uses the Force once more to make sure Takara doesn't fall on her feet. As she is jumping, she easily loses control.

She ends up crashing very hard on the pavement, cracking it.

"Ugh... please, stop... I forgive you! I forgive you for your lack of respect! I forgive you for everything! Just apologize! Stop fighting! Please!"

Finn raises an eyebrow. Did she just say "please"?

"You... forgive me? I don't want you to forgive me. I want you to apologize. To say you will no longer demand respect while giving none. You see, in the end, what others give, they end up taking.

And I don't want you to apologize to me. I want you to ask for forgiveness..."

He points the Great Spear of Japan at her throat.

"... from Otegine, the spear you isolated, abused and neglected. And do it now."

"I will not! He is useless, and his uselessness killed my husband!"

"Poor child... he wasn't even fifteen. Sick fuck. And he did not kill him. Gine told me the whole thing. The bombers killed your boyfriend, yet you did not blame them. And even then, you blamed an inanimate object who couldn't do something with no wielder, while you did nothing too. _Your_ inaction killed your boyfriend. You are more guilty than Otegine!"

"But... "

"No 'but'. Otegine did nothing at your hands and has an easy victory at mine, as an inanimate object. I am doing something right that you don't probably. The user makes the weapon powerful!"

Takara would love to argue using her fists, but she can't. She takes a bit to reply.

"Even if I did wield the spear, how would it stop the bombing?"

"Shut your face, Takara!"

"What are you doing here, worthless brother? You are too weak to even look at me! Now you act all rude?"

"Yes. Because you are selfish! When something bad happens to you, you grieve. When something bad happened to me and I grieved, you beat me up for no reason. You always saw me as a weakling! And so, you would not stop mistreating me.

I am here because I am not the real grandson of Nobunaga, in fact you aren't grandchild of Harutomo either, but I can still lead better than you! Just because I don't demand respect while degrading my subordinates! I am here, because even though I don't fight, I am more worthy than you as a Saniwa!"

"You are here to take my place?"

"Yes, and defend history the way you never did!"

"I will kill you!"

Otegine pokes her throat and Finn's voice is heard.

"No. You won't."

"Stay out of this" Takara thinks, but is too afraid to say it.

Finn turns his back at her and keeps talking. "You aren't worth for me to even look at you. You murdered innocent people, never cared about anyone but yourself, except for some unhealthy obsession, warped history for you to have fame, and finally you expect to only take and never give!

You are one of the weakest people I have ever seen. Just to let you know, I am still handicapping myself."

And then he turns to Yuji. "Go back to the Sword Boys. They need you. Even if you can't fight, you are not useless, and you can lead instead."

Yuji already had made three Tachi lure Revisionists at a point where Tantõ can flank them. Now he rushes for new orders.

Takara sees an opening and goes for a punch hard enough to make a hole in human flesh at Finn's back.

Only for him to sense this.

"I didn't expect something else... from a coward."

[Golden Wind OST](https://youtu.be/2MtOpB5LlUA)

He immediately turns and, just as the punch is about to connect with his chest, Otegine emerges through Takara's stomach. The Great Spear of Japan gets full of blood with the first stab, and Finn starts landing rapid jabs at the woman.

Takara is full of holes and struggles to stand up. She glares at Finn. "I might have forgiven you, I might have forgiven Yuji, I will forgive even your friends for their disrespect! I just want you to apologize. But I will never, EVER forgive Otegine!"

"He never asked."

And Finn starts mercilessly stabbing Takara. He screams as he attacks again and again and again. His punishment in isolation reminded him of what his friend, Slip, got for half a month for failing his courses. Slip only avoided trauma because Finn snuck once in five days and kept him company, everytime it was his turn to guard the "weaklings".

He sees Phasma in the Saniwa.

The last stab destroys Takara's brain and she ends up deader than dead.

Finn stares at her body with cold fury.

"Now you can blame Otegine."

With Takara's demise, the Revisionists withdraw en masse. History starts changing back to normal, the anomaly is gone. 

Thanks to Yuji, the Yokai, the Kebiishi and the Sword Boys have a truce until they all leave. 

An old Kebiishi looks at history repairing itself. "You were right all along, boy. We will not hurt anyone here until I see you meddling with history again. Because then you might be the anomaly yourselves." 

Leah and Finn hug, glad this is over. 

"Finn, I saw you in the end. Why did you choose to use Otegine as an inanimate object?" 

"Because of two reasons. One, I wanted to make sure Gine and I shared the final blow. Two, I wanted to show Takara that Otegine, even as just a spear, is not worthless if wielded by someone competent and she had no right to blame him."

"You didn't see me fighting her. She was so sure she would win, and it all ended in one punch!"

"Though I did make sure she would not escape. I hope the Widow and the Poet had their fun before too."

"Don't think we didn't."

Fudõ, seeing Takara dead, immediately sends all four anomalies, the girls and Finn, back to their time. But he has to make one last salute beforehand.

"Thank you four. For everything. From all us Sword Boys. Oh, and before you leave... Finn, I won't hold a grudge against you. You honored Lord Ranmaru. I will see you as a friend, not an enemy... only as long as you honor Ranmaru's last words and let his legacy live through you, just as Nobunaga's lived through him."

"I will do my best."

After all four are sent back in the present, Yuji takes his seat at Takara's armchair.

"One think I know is that abuse is not good. If they call you useless, they are all wrong, for you are not. Takara abused us for too long. But now she is dead, thanks to you, Otegine. 

Power brings responsibility, and Takara had none. From tomorrow, we will rebuild what she destroyed. Now, let's all have a celebration for our savior, Otegine!"

The others, even though they all helped, realize that Otegine didn't get it just for dealing the final blow, but because he was just as abused as Yuji. Some heard him as he was standing up to Takara. 

"Long live Otegine! Long live Yuji, our new Saniwa!"

Back to the present, Embry and Greyfur couldn't find their friends anywhere. At all. At least they managed to survive an ambush of Kappa and Bone Samurai in the river. They had defeated all enemies with relative ease.

Empty-handed, they return.

However, they see the way they came from changed. Nowhere is a mention about Takara, Nobunaga died in Honnõ-ji slightly before the Edo period and Ieyasu Shogunate, everything is just as they remembered before Leah and her friends got lost. 

Meanwhile, Poe has spotted a Shadow Priest threatening the Kappa his forces saved from imprisonment, in the shores of the Kappa's own river.

"You are a Yokai. Lord Otakemaru is your lord. Why did you betray him? Why did you show humans kindness?" 

"Because I know that not all humans are bad, just like how all Yokai are not bad or good. I don't believe people are just food. They have thoughts and loved ones, Father."

"Nonsense. Humans destroy the rivers you Kappa live in, filling them with garbage. They care about how to please themselves, destroying everything in their path. Taught by the greedy industries, they pollute rivers, burn forests, kill animals to expand their evil empires."

"You think this can't change? I saw children picking up garbage and cleaning my home, having no idea I existed. Another time, a girl saw me and called me cute, though her mother was disgusted by my appearance. Not all humans are the same. Not all of them are full of irrational hatred, unlike some of my superiors."

The Shadow Priest uses a hook he has in the right hand and severely injures the Kappa. 

"Apologize to our God for your treason and blasphemy!"

Poe rushes in. 

The Kappa tells the General not to interfere.

"No, General! He is right... I was a seflish, worthless traitor... I am a Yokai. An abomination for your kind. Let me die... just don't hurt the priest... for your own good. The Shadow Priests are sacred... their orders are the orders of the Great One. The Great One deemed me a disgrace to my own kind... please leave. Save yours."

"You don't apologize to anyone." Poe responds, his blood boiling. He turns to the Priest and glares at him.

The Shadow Priest raises his hook. "You fool! Your role is to obey our god, human. Are you defying him, slave? You are food and currency, nothing more, nothing less. And if you don't stop looking at me like this, I will carve you the way you humans carve animals and trees." 

Poe smiles for a second... and then draws his blaster and shoots the Shadow Priest in the chest. 

"You will pay for your blasphemy! You are not fighting your weak kind. You are fighting powers and authorities. You can't win such a hopeless war."

"I led the victory against the First Order, monster. Even the Final Order, which was above ordinary mortals, fell and I saw it." 

"You should not be so disrespectful!" The priest gets up and charges with his hook. "I am a Shadow Priest, and you will obey me!" 

"And I am General Poe Dameron." Poe fires twice more, one more in the chest and one in the head, and kills the Shadow Priest.

He turns to the injured Kappa. "Are you ok, little fellow?" 

"I am. Don't worry about me... you have done enough. You showed that you do care about a Yokai."

"We care about anyone who doesn't want us dead. That includes Yokai. I learned through legends that not all of you are mean. Some are benevolent, some just playful."

"Still, at some point, we have to leave... killing a Shadow Priest means execution in public and bounty if exposed. Even if you just punched him, you would still be punished with death."

"They can come and get me."

The reason the Shadow Priest had no guards was because his two Yoki bodyguards are busy chasing Embry and Greyfur. The two werewolves manage to escape and remember that Finn, Leah and the Poet went to Honnõ-ji. 

So, they decide to travel there.

"Are you sure? We went again, but did not find them!"

"They might have had some minor mission and then returned."

In the way they had few encounters. They saved a couple from robbers, defended themselves against six Gaki and saved a kitten from a tree by bringing the tree down gently. 

When they get there, they find the three missing allies, along with the Black Widow.

"Thank you, Black Widow. You were a great partner." 

"You are welcome, Nutty Poet. You and I taught that imposter of me a lesson."

"And thanks to all of us, history is safe." Leah comments. "It has been fun, Widow. Hope we meet again."

She and the Widow make a handshake. Then Natasha takes the hand of the Poet. And, finally, Finn's.

"Finn, I am not happy you killed Takara."

"Why? You hated her. You beat her in a fight!"

"I also wanted to land the killing blow."

"I already shared the pleasure with Otegine, a spear she abused. I think we all gave her a good beating!"

"Even Leah?" 

"Even Leah. I think I outshined all of you, it took me only one punch!"

As Black Widow and the other three saviors of history part ways, Embry and Greyfur reach them.

They hug their Alpha first and then her friends.

"Finally!" Embry shouts. "We could not find you anywhere! Not even the scent of you! Even with the mind link, you were completely gone!" 

"At ease, Embry! We travelled in the past. Some Takara was changing history to get wealth and fame and we kicked her sorry ass. She looked all high and mighty, insulting us and demanding us to kiss her ass. Shame that I didn't see her face when I beat her in one punch."

"That's what you are missing when you are a werewolf and go all-out at the start, Leah. I had the time of my life fighting Takara!" 

"May I remind you, Finn, that you usually don't have that much control of a fight? After all, remember the first fight!"

"I do. And I managed to twist it in a way it made Takara further afraid of me." 

"To be honest, you usually aren't so sadistic!"

"Except when I forced another abusive coward into a trash compactor."

"Are we sure that's the Alpha's teddy bear?" Grefur asks Embry.

"There is also her pet mouse... Good thing he is safe, Leah would be pissed if not." 

"And he is a good friend with BB-8!"

"Poe's orange droid? I heard the girls in my squad find him cute! To be honest, I do so too."

"Come on, let's find the others."

They all return to the base. 

In the way, they see Poe's face with a bounty in a poster. 

"He must have done something awesome. Bounties aren't for everyone." Finn comments.

"No shit."

When the three time travellers return, everyone welcomes them with open arms. They were all genuinely worried, especially Poe.

Poe told them he missed them so much and asked about what happened. Finn told him happily that he and his friends have helped save history and defeated a horde of living blades and a way too obvious mole with the help of other living blades.

"Can't you believe it? The dagger Ranmaru used to stab me was fighting by my side. Of course, we shared the same goal of protecting history, and he wanted me to respect Ranmaru's wish and continue Nobunaga's legacy which was living through him."

After he told Poe everything, from the Black Widow and Otegine to how each of his friends defeated Takara, Finn asked about Poe's bounty.

"Well, apparently the government we are facing is theocratic, and they have the Shadow Priests, who are supposedly untouchable. One of them was bullying a Yokai who wasn't racist to all humans. I shot the priest. Worth the bounty."

The next day went pretty well. 

Finn and Leah played that arcade one last time. 

This time, they manage to reach the final boss. 

"Of course... no Tarot Card would be more suitable than The World! I hope it does not stop time." 

It does not freeze time, but it can freeze people. Its cryokinesis can barely be countered by bullets. The versatile abilities of the boss damage the two several times. 

Fortunately, the thing is immobile and has a weak point easier to spot than the problems of the Forced Dyad and other imprints. A large hole that exposes the heart.

Finn and Leah alternate between shooting the insultingly obvious weak point and the ice-based attacks... with good, but not perfect results. The World uses even an axe of ice and big crystals, but falls down from bullets.

Then it raises back up, with tentacles, and fires ice dragons rapidly!

"Good thing we don't face this in reality!"

"Ran would be really useful here."

Both heroes are defeated by the dragons... but have two more coins! 

"Come on! Time to end this fight once and for all!"

In the end, both Finn and Leah are in their last hit point. The World casts a colossal ice dragon, attempting to kill both at once. "Shoot it! Shoot it now!"

It takes many bullets, but the dragon is reduced to ice chunks and the final boss is exposed. Some shots later, both Finn and Leah can't believe it. 

"Oh no... it has a third form?" 

But the male lead of the game sacrifices himself and saves both the girl and the world by destroying the ice monster for good in a cutscene. 

Finn and Leah high-five. They have just beat the game.

Then she cups his face. "Whatever happens... do not die for me."

"I am not sure if I can keep this promise."

"Please, keep it. You know what I have endured. Thanks to you, I learned that I am worthy. Live, please. For me." 

"I will."

Back to the Citadel, Fudõ is speaking with Hasebe about their most heated topic... sort of. 

"Do you really want that man to keep the promise of Ranmaru and continue Nobunaga's legacy? Is he going to burn everyone who disagrees with him?" 

"No. The legacy will be to unify a free Japan again."

"At the cost of how many lives?" 

"While you see just the means to the end, I see the end itself. The purpose."

"And only that!"

Yagen interrupts. "This explains a lot about your stance against your old master... or in favor of, in Fudõ's case. I am neutral because I see both."

"Do you believe the man who wielded Otegine against our abuser could succeed Nobunaga?" 

"I am not sure. The two are nothing alike. If that's a good or bad thing... you two are too biased. The very history we protect will judge it."

Indeed, Stormwolf is soon going to be judged by history...

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Do you agree with Fudõ, Yagen or Hasebe? 
> 
> Did you appreciate Poe's way of getting a bounty? Hope you did so!
> 
> Favorite fight against Takara? 
> 
> Agree with the replacement of the Saniwa?
> 
> Btw, Takara and Yuji are from "The Daimyo's Grandchild", a fic that has the former as its VERY abusive 'heroine'. Instead of reading that, you can see Otegine's summary, he is telling the truth. And Yuji's rant also included parts of that fic. 
> 
> I know the final battle was too one-sided, but seriously, it is the exception.


	31. The way to the Land of Immigrants

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Stormwolf prepares to travel towards USA. 
> 
> However, they are not the only ones to do so!

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Beginning of the USA arc! Be ready, for this starts the end of the story!
> 
> I gift this to Finnreyfitzmonshipper, who wanted to be a heroine and chose name, abilities and side in the conflict. 
> 
> I hope people like her character.

Two weeks later, in USA, a girl struggles to get from bed. She is in an awful condition and believes her body hates her. 

However, she still is able to do things. She needs a glass that is in the desk ten meters away and is full of water. 

She tries to stand up, but her whole body hurts. "Ugh... I can't. My body hates me." 

However, she doesn't have to walk there. She brings the glass closer, straight from the bed, without even touching it, and drinks the water. 

"Aaaah... that's far better..."

She uses her telekinesis to bring the glass to its original position effortlessly. 

The woman, despite her power, feels weaker than she truly is because of her illness. "Ugh... I wish I was as strong as Rey... or at least had a tenth of her strength."

Speaking of Rey, she has arrived two days ago in USA. And right now, she is patrolling the girl's neighborhood. She has sensed a strong sign in the Force. 

She starts reading the minds of people. It's so easy, effortless. Maybe some of them know where her friends are. She finds some people calling her a "Mary Sue". Finn, already good at hunting those, did tell her about Sues and how they are. 

"Because I am totally perfect and don't make mistakes even without the brainwashing. Oh right... still, I don't think my actions are all supposed to be cheered for." the Jedi thinks. 

She hears a fangirl wondering how Rey could live without Kylo. 

Rey's POV

Even after he fixed some of his mistakes, I still can move on from him. In fact, I wonder why I was chasing after this war criminal in the first place. 

Fucking demons. Now poor, innocent girls believe doing so is the right choice and might do the same... 

Wait... a group of boys say that I remind them of that idiot scavenger who wanted to be away from her friends and chased after a cold-blooded killer because she saw a little good in him. 

If only they remember I also kicked that asshole's butt in Starkiller... and I gave my life just to stop Palpatine... 

And I can't just tell everyone the truth! It's just as insane as the lie!

Damn it... can someone love me for what I am, and see past what I was pressed to do? To see what I was being through? 

People tell me they know me. Nobody does. 

Wait... there is the strong Force signal! 

I climb to the window of this house. If I wasn't an expert climber, I wouldn't get as far as I did. 

And all I see... is a girl. Strong in the Force, wishing she would be as powerful as me. 

I believe I can make a friend at last... and I promise, I won't treat my friend like dirt. Not again.

Third Person POV

The girl sees Rey on the window. 

"Who are you? You look a lot like Rey... but Rey is not a robber! Stay back or I will call the police!"

Rey chuckles and frees a hand. "You will open this window, we need to talk."

The Mind Trick works, in spite of the girl's strong mind. Rey has practiced, perfected this technique. 

Then she is let in.

"Hello there!"

"General Kenobi!"

"Actually, young woman, I am Rey Skywalker. And I am here because I feel the Force inside you."

"It's just some telekinesis. And this is a joke response to Hello There." would the girl say in different circumstances. Right now she is enthusiastic. 

"REY? YOU ARE MORE THAN A LEGEND? IS IT ACTUALLY YOU?" 

"Yes, my dear. I also thought Luke is a legend, believe me. Then I met him. He was underwhelming when I did the first time. But in the end he lived up to his legend."

"This happens a lot, Rey... sometimes, we are disappointed by our idols. Sadly, nobody is perfect."

"Listen, you can fall. I fell pretty badly, and paid the price. However, you have to rise up. Tell me, my girl, do you do so? Confronting fear is the destiny of a Jedi. My destiny. Finn's destiny. Maybe even your destiny.

But first, I want your name. I might be born of royalty and be a Jedi Master, but I want to talk as your equal. Tell me, what's your name?" 

"My name is Virago, Rey."

"Good. Why do you look up to me so much? Do you know how I fell?" 

"I know, Rey... because I have been in the same situation as you. I had a very abusive boyfriend... he tried to make me dependent on him, degraded me, harassed me... I did the same mistakes. I isolated myself from my friends, tried to change my abuser and stuck with him because I saw illusions of his good side while he did nothing but being abusive..."

"In the end? Did you ditch him?" 

"I did. Now he does haunt me sometimes, but I kicked him out of my life and strive to make genuine friends. I always look up to you and want to follow your steps."

"So... you know that I also got over Kylo quickly and even washed my mouth with mud to purify myself from kissing this murderous snake?"

"Figured out... you were speaking as if you regret it. But the legends try to pass the bond you two had as something glorious. I never bought the lie for a second, for I did experience Kylo, but never hated you for what you had done. I don't even believe it's your fault, Rey! I am sure you are just as much of a victim as the friends you were forced to isolate, and I am glad Kylo willingly paid the price for how he treated you."

"If you believe in me still, I can tell you what happened. This way, even if I die, the secret of the Dyad will be known. And once it does, people will see the true face of abuse."

After Rey tells Virago what happened, Virago tells her again that she admires her strength and wishes to be like her. 

Rey simply smiles. "Virago... you are already just as strong as me mentally. You got over your Kylo, you washed your mouth with mud... metaphorically speaking. However, I can sense your pain as you try to even stand up. Physically, you might be good with your telekinesis, but your illness is an obstacle...

You were a victim who took back her own life! You do not deserve this! Your illness is awful...

But nothing for the Force!"

Rey closes her eyes and gives some life force to Virago. Immediately, Virago's illness, which affected her everyday life horribly, gets cured permanently!

Virago stares at the Jedi. "Did you just... heal me?" 

"Yes. Get up and walk through your house. Tell me if you feel anything."

Virago walks across the entire house and returns with no trouble at all. It's as if she never had her illness.

And with the ailment no longer inhibiting her strength, Virago's telekinetic powers are doubled. 

"I am proud of you, girl." Rey tells her. "But I have to go. There are more people who need my help or criminals to destroy..."

"Rey... I want to help you!"

"No. I have to fight alone... If I die, you will still live that way. Just stay safe, Virago."

"May the Force be with you."

"And with you."

Rey leaves, satisfied.

As she continues forward, she stops in another house. She is greeted by an overweight, yet attractive woman. As she enters her house, she sees that the woman has a shrine of some old man who looked kind of creepy.

"Hello. I am here to relax a little... you see, I want to do some important jobs... glad you accepted me."

"Oh, you must be Rey. I am Danisha Wood, and it's a pleasure to see you!"

"This shrine is for whom?" Rey facepalms right after asking. That was pretty intrusive of her. Now she assumes the woman will tell her it's personal...

"Claude Frollo. He was an awesome judge, and so hot. He is wrongly portrayed as evil, but he is misunderstood. All he wanted was to sleep with a woman, and that gupsy witch rejected him. He had every right to try and kill the witch for what she did. She was too attractive, and broke his heart!"

Rey's mouth opens and stays open. "I am sorry, but your hero sounds like a creepy stalker and you can't blame a woman for being beautiful. In a case of rape, the only one to blame is the rapist."

"And what if the victim provokes with their clothes or their eyes?" 

"Still the rapist is to blame."

"But... "

"The stalker is ALWAYS to blame!"

Danisha glares at Rey. "Listen here, you little bitch. You also looked good and still rejected poor Ben, who was always after you to make you his. Even when your souls were united. You would deserve to burn... if you did not wisen up in the end. It was the moment you finally realized what is right. Didn't this make you happy? Did you realize you were wrong?" 

"Yes. I did. I washed my mouth with mud when I realized what I had done. So what? Am I evil again, for not thinking of an abusive stalker all the time?"

"Yes. You deserve the stake for bewitching him!"

"That wasn't evil."

Rey Force Chokes Danisha and then uses the Dark Side to rip her heart apart. 

"This is evil."

Then Rey marches away. "I don't think she will have contact with mud... unless there are no square coffins."

Meanwhile, in Japan, Stormwolf has made all preparations to travel to USA. They had a nice big break and training, but now they have to leave. In USA they plan to attack the Boar News Tower. If they can do it, they can safely say they caused a major setback to the Black Legion. 

However, in their way, suddenly shots are fired and some rebels are gunned down! 

"What's happening?" 

"We have company! We are ambushed!" 

Poe sees a massive army of Yokai, other demons, Agents and vampires. They are ten against one rebel, and already have killed twenty people before the rebels can retaliate. 

Q has upgraded the Spydor Mines at five and more destructive, killing five tough demons. A Gaki eats a rebel, while another Gaki is shot dead. The first Gaki eats the second and grows even bigger. However, the Nutty Poet paints a bazooka and blows the giant Gaki up. Then she shoots again, opening a hole in a Yoki's torso. 

Poe himself fires his blasters and kills many vampires, but one manages to rip off one of his wings before getting blasted. A Raven Tengu flies on the top of Poe's ship and raises a spear to destroy it, but BB-8 stuns the winged fiend with electricity and saves the General.

However, the Poet finds herself wounded by a Moblin Arrow. The soldiers have machine guns and shred the Agents and Gaki easily, but the Imps, Yoki and vampires still overpower them.

The Black Legion has heavy units too. A pilot uses his torpedoes and vaporizes a Silver Skeleton, but is shot by a Bazooker Boy down. As he lands, he makes sure he takes his attacker and two more Agents with him. 

"We lost a third of our men! We have to retreat!"

Embry manages to kill three vampires, but is heavily wounded by a Silver Moblin and has to be rescued by Q and the Nutty Poet. 

Finn and Leah fight with everything they've got. Leah turns again into a wolf and lands the Six-Sided Strike, killing six vampires before they can react, and almost manages to hit a seventh. Finn uses his lightsaber to split a Stygian in two and then shoots many blaster bolts at a Behemoth. Then he stops all of them in mid-air and sends all of them at the fat fiend's head simultaneously. 

Poe fires his torpedoes and defeats an Ippon-Datara and two Yoki, but is grazed by a fireball. "We will not risk it! Retreat! Retreat!"

"They will tail us!"

"Here we will all die, Finn! Just like with the Dreadnought in D'Qar, only here we have no chance to win! We need to live to fight another day, bring the battle to them!"

"Very well... Leah and I have bounties. They will try to capture us. You retreat! We two stall for time!"

"I have a bounty too! They will still chase me!"

"You are the best strategist. We are the powerhouses. Poe... please be safe."

So, Poe orders most of his forces to retreat.

Everyone but Finn, Leah, Little Finn and a soldier who insisted on fighting back for glory and to help the rest escape stay behind. 

The soldier was always alone in his life. Rebelling against the oppressors gave him something to live, to die for. Now he uses his machine gun to shoot four Gaki dead and throw a grenade at three Zombie Privates. 

Finn throws a Garlic Bomb at three vampires, stunning them and then slicing them with his blue lightsaber. Leah is in her human form, stakes a vampire and punches the ground really hard, creating a shockwave and damaging two Enki. Then she lands rapid kicks at a Soul Kisser. Said demonesses can kiss the souls out of people and have revealing clothes.

Then the officers appear. Generals Vlad and Fang, Al Astor's bodyguards, are present, as well as Kashin Koji, the Emperor's main servant. If the rebels were an even larger threat, one of the Three Great Yokai Leaders would have to interfere.

Little Finn is chased by a hungry Gaki, but lures it at a Moblin. The Moblin is struck by the charge and stabs the Gaki with his wooden sword. The rebel soldier screams as he throws a grenade and kills five Agents and zombies.

Finn slashes a blue Moblin with his lightsaber, while Leah punches through the scull of a Stalfos. However, Moblins charge forward, and they are numerous.

Finn uses his blaster and shoots eight of them dead accurately, but some get too close. The black Force user kicks one in the face and draws his lightsaber to slash two more. Leah is surrounded, but she punches the ground really hard and knocks everyone out. 

However, a wooden arrow strikes her in the knee. She is still an adventurer, though, and throws a rock accurately at a Gaki, killing it.

However, a colossal centipede appears. Its name is just Great Centipede, and it charges at Leah. The Native American turns into a werewolf immediately, defeats an Enki with a single bite and then lunges at the big insect. She manages to land the first bite and some more, but the monster wounds her with a swipe and starts chasing her.

The rebel soldier uses his machine gun and manages to gun down four Imps. However, he has few bullets left.

A Moblin raises his sword and manages to cut off the man's right arm. The rebel lands a left hook to his face and then a kick in the nuts, knocking the enemy out. Then he hurls his last grenade and blows up a fat zombie. However, a Vampire Infantryman rushes faster than the human eye can see and raises his sword, cutting the other arm of the man off. 

Little Finn manages to destroy a few slimes, but a vampire is about to kill him. Not on Finn's watch, who uses the Force to being the bloodsucker closer and stake him with the lightsaber. Then the young man uses a detonator and blows up many zombies and a Silver Skeleton. 

Leah latches on the Great Centipede and bites it several times, but the insect throws her off and lunges to eat her. Clearwater dodges the bite, but the centipede burrows underneath, focing the girl to start running for dear life before it emerges!

And when it does, Leah leaps at the exposed monster and lands multiple bites, drawing some blood. 

Finn sees a Fat Minister ordering Bone Samurai. He defeats many of these skeletons with his saber and encounters a Blue Demon Knight. He fires his blaster, but the demon blocks the bolts with his shield and counters with a poleaxe thrust. Finn jumps on the long handle and lands a dropkick before attacking with a flurry of saber slashes. The demon is weakened and kicks the man, but Finn manages to stay on his feet and defeat him with a Spin Attack.

The Fat Minister fights Finn himself with a slash of his crescent axe. The former Stormtrooper dodges by jumping sideways and the axe leaves a crack in the ground. Then Finn counters by striking the Fat Minister four times. 

The Fat Ministers are actually quite dangerous, even though they aren't the greatest warriors. The Minister blocks a hit with his axe and uses Ignite to cast powerful fire at close range. Finn gets the full force of the hit and it hurts a lot. Then he gets slashed by the crescent axe.

As Finn struggles to get up, the Fat Minister is laughing. 

Meanwhile, Leah has managed to inflict a lot of damage with her superior speed. However, the centipede spits venomous balls from a distance. Leah dodges and does the Six-Sided Strike at vampires coming at her, but the Centipede spews a cloud that causes paralysis.

Kashin Koji crosses his arms. "Well done, Hundred Legs! Finish her off!"

Little Finn bites an Imp's foot, making it screech helplessly in pain. However, he is grabbed by a Soul Kisser. 

"Got you!"

Everything seems hopeless. 

Then rebel reinforcements arrive! A stone strikes and wounds a Stygian. 

It's six men who can control stone and earth!

Finn barely manages to get to his feet. "We are saved!"

The six men prepare a powerful attack together. They dance in perfect synchronization!

"I AM A LITTLE TEAPOT! SHORT! AND! STOUT!"

Finn is prepared for swords of stone, earthquake, a storm of rocks, a colossal boulder... then a small rock gently flies from the ground. 

"Don't worry, guys, I got them. Here, take that!" The stone is propelled towards a Moblin and knocks him unconscious. 

"We are fucked." Finn dryly comments. The Moblins with their bows and swords charge at the six men and massacre all of them without a single Yokai or vampire interfering. 

Finn barely avoids the next axe swipe and Force Pushes the Fat Minister back. In range the fight swifts in Finn's favor, for while the Minister can only cast small fireballs and it takes a while, Finn uses his blaster to attack and saber to defend. Then he uses the Force to hurl a rock at the enemy, who uses a fireball, but it fails to stop the stone... and it's a distraction for the next attack, a detonator. 

The Minister hops backwards... but Finn uses the Force to guide the explosive, blowing him up!

Leah is trying to recover. While she was stunned, Hundred Legs managed to land a very painful bite and nearly kill her. Now her wounds start closing. She pretends to be dead. However, she doesn't manage to completely recover because a vampire senses she is still alive and conscious and attacks her. He is defeated, but the centipede attacks once more!

Leah dodges the cloud this time, but the centipede spits a rock at her, grazing her. She keeps dodging, recovering. But a ball of poison hits her and stops the body's healing technically, because it struggles to heal itself constantly from the poison.

Then the centipede slams hard into the ground and leaves a crater, killing two nearby Moblins and hurting Leah severely, nearly killing her too. Once again, the she-wolf has to use her head. She uses her paws as the Yokai looms over her and throws sand into its many eyes. Then she attacks its exposed belly and bites a chunk of it off. She proceeds to land more rapid bites until the Great Centipede drops dead. 

Then she shifts back in human form to defend against an Enki. She manages to defeat him, but a Silver Moblin appears. 

The deaths of the Fat Minister and the Great Centipede are setbacks, but the army still stands strong. A Gaki bites Finn and grows bigger, but the young man turns and decapitates it with his saber. He sees an Agent about to shoot the now armless rebel, but shoots the Agent first. 

Then he is struck by a Troll's club and knocked unconscious. Leah is now alone, but still fights. She parries the Silver Moblin's strikes and even lands a good hit at the enemy's head.

However, the Silver Moblin kicks her hard and knocks her backwards. 

"I... don't need to touch your silver to land a hit!" Leah throws a big rock and damages the Moblin's shield before backhanding a Bone Samurai about to stab her in the back. The Silver Moblin charges, but Leah dodges the first strike and counters with her pipe. However, the Moblin counters her counter and with a stab knocks her out.

With all rebels who stayed behind captured or dead, Fang approaches the soldier who bravely but foolishly stayed to defend the founders of Stormwolf. 

"Are you so willing to die for your masters?" 

"Not just them. They aren't just my masters, they are my friends. I am also doing that for everyone else and their families. As we were fighting, the rest escaped. You have lost, vampire."

"No, you have lost, human. But I am willing to spare you for your bravery and foolishness if you bow down to me now. I will heal your arms, soldier! You can live forever! All I want is for you obey."

"No. I am not bowing down to the likes of you. You are not above humans. I prefer to die here, proud and defiant, than to join your injustices."

Fang creates a sword of ice and cuts off his head.

"I know humans are primitives, but that one was a whole new level of stupid."

The rest of the team has escaped and is now in Pearl Harbor. 

"Finally, we are here. The center of the demonic operations... here is the Boar News Tower. Our target."

"General Poe, what happened to Finn and Leah?" 

"They probably got captured... I hope they weren't killed." 

The next day, Finn and Leah wake up to find themselves in an open plaza.

"Leah... where are we?" 

"I think I know this place. It looks familiar."

Finn sees the many vampires around them. "This situation also looks familiar." 

Leah scans the place with her eyes. "Finn, I know where we are. We are in Forks."

"Home?" 

"No... it's even worse."

Finn looks for a weapon anywhere, but he senses they are in a storage.

Before either can make a move, they see their pet mouse locked in a cage. A vampire maid shakes the cage constantly. 

There is also a vampire girl dressed in a provocative red dress. She looks like she is twenty... 

Leah is horrified when she realizes who she really is. 

The girl approaches Finn and grabs his face with one hand, while scratching his neck with the other. 

"Hello, human... I am so very glad to meet you in person."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Did you like Virago's introduction? 
> 
> Was Danisha's death too harsh, too good, just right? 
> 
> How about Rey? 
> 
> The girl in the end is easy to guess. Will not have to spoil. 
> 
> Finally, I hope you liked here Finn and Leah!


	32. Execution

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The vampires finally have both Finn and Leah in their clutches. And they are willing to do a large gathering to celebrate the primary enemies of their species. 
> 
> Meanwhile, the rest of the rebels get involved in another conflict, while Rey goes to Vegas.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> It was getting long, so I stopped it in a cliffhanger. In one of the most important moments. 
> 
> Stay tuned, this and the next one are basically a really big one!

Finn stares at the girl in front of him, who looks about to rip his heart off with her nails. "Who are you?"

"My name is Renesmee Carlie Cullen. You can call me Nessie. You are Aunt Leah's boyfriend, I suppose."

Leah tries to say something, but two Vampire Infantrymen have swords at her throat. These vampires have armor and swords made of silver, forcing Leah to be in place.

Finn sees his arms are caught by two muscular vampires. He still responds. "Just her best friend. We defend the innocents together."

Renesmee slaps him in the face.

"Then WHY DID YOU KILL MY MOTHER?"

"Your mother? Who was your mother and why would I want to kill her?"

Nessie pokes him hard in the chest several times. "You don't even know, huh? You might be innocent, to be honest... did you really believe" she points at Leah "her vicious _lies_? About how she was bullied by her old pack? About how they were a bunch of abusers and bad guys, and only she was the sane woman in the pack? How can the few be right and the many be wrong, you may ask...

In fact, this bitch refused to do anything I asked her to. She kept hating me, in spite of my kindness, and she also hated her own stepsister for no reason at all. I bet she brainwashed you into believing my poor mommy and daddy were evil. Do you know my dad killed himself? This is how miserable you made him!"

Finn lowers his head. He did not want to make families miserable. He didn't want to cause suffering.

Meanwhile, Nessie keeps pinching and poking him. She enjoyed having him helpless before her and wanted to cause him as much pain as possible.

This reminds Finn of his encounter with Bella, who refused to see him as an enemy and tried to play with him before she was going to kill him... until he killed her first. And then it clicks.

"Wait... you are Bella's daughter?"

"Precisely."

Finn is about to puke. "How OLD are you?"

"Just fourteen."

"Then stop touching me! This is sick!"

"You are one to talk, murderer." She punches him in the gut with all her strength, while her guards have made sure he will not fight back.

Then she continues. "Listen here, human. I know this bitter harpy brainwashed you into believing her lies, but my mom was a great woman. She did her best to defend her kind and family. I did not lose just my parents. I also lost my boyfriend, who was in love in me since I was born."

"And you feel sad about that? Who hits on a baby? Serves him right."

Some wolves of Jacob's pack are there and all glare at him. One of them, Paul, intervenes. "The Silver Moblins killed our Alpha and many others. Just because he imprinted on a baby. Is it so bad?"

"Your imprints are disgusting and don't deserve respect. And I am so sorry that the Black Legion you sold humanity to isn't corrupt enough for your Alpha."

Renesmee growls, bares her teeth. How _dare_ he speak to her, the daughter of the greatest vampire couple in the universe and a product of the truest love in history? A lowly human, whom her friends regard as food?

And not just that, he also disrespected Jacob, who always did what she asked!

"I will not tolerate such language from someone who ruined my family! When you killed Bella, didn't you think she would have a family? Loved ones waiting for her? Or did the filthy wolf bitch hide that from you?"

"I did not seek her to murder her. Not at all. She came some days after the Fall of Volterra and tried to murder me. She treated me like food, like I was a toy. I only staked her defending myself. What, should I just let her kill me?"

"You should be grateful we vampires exist."

Another vampire, Eleazar, proposes to turn Finn into a vampire. "I sense incredible power inside this human. No wonder he could even fight us! We should make him one of us! Imagine all this power amplified a thousand times! Finn, let us change you! You will become one of the toughest immortals in history!"

Finn turns to him. "Go ahead, change me. I will warn you, though, I am not friends with those who only value power, and strength is not why I am such a threat to you. You value me only because of my potential, you don't see me as a person, as a human being. If vampirism increases my powers so much, I will use them to defend the rest of humanity from your self-proclaimed Master Race. You pretend you are so great, but you really aren't."

Nessie lands another gut punch.

"Stop! Leave him alone!" Leah shouts. "It's ok, I brainwashed him... he is just a victim of my lies. I made him destroy the Volturi and other vampires, Loch Ness monster. And that heroine of yours, Armilla, who would replace Aro and gave you all hope to keep oppressing humanity? I killed her. And she was so successful because she didn't believe her vampirism made her unbeatable. Bella underestimated humanity. Finn told me everything...

I am just as guilty as Finn. Kill me first, I was a selfish bitch and I deserve it."

"No, my dear aunt" Nessie responds. "What you really deserve is to feel alone. You always threw my kindness back into my face, always bullied me for no reason. That's why my deceased lover didn't want you. You insisted on screwing everything up, you made my mother cry for something Jake himself wasn't mad at her! You will watch the only person vile enough to hang out with you die first. It's a mercy for the likes of him."

If looks could kill, Leah would have vaporized Renesmee.

The half-vampire turns back to the young human and cups his face. "As for you, you are quite the dummy, you know that? Eleazar was willing to look past your crimes against our kind, forgive you and invite you to join us because he liked your potential."

"Yeah, because I would be willing to sell my soul and humanity for power, beauty and immortality. I want to be with people who value me as a person, who put the personality of others before anything else. You think I would love to join your killing of other sapient beings? That I want to survive by eating people? Cut my head off or turn me. I die anyway."

Before he can say anything more, another vampire, Tanya, closes his mouth. Nessie pokes him again.

"I am sorry... you are just really, really soft! I can't believe that the person who ruined my family and helped Leah destroy so many immortals... is a soft, squishy human. Since a quick death is too good for you, how about letting my guests play with you a little?"

Finn remembers Captain Phasma and her torture. And how Kylo dealt with prisoners... but he looked good, so it was all irrelevant.

Tanya goes first, caresses Finn's neck and smells it. As she comments at his scent, Leah sees something even more horrifying. Her own mother and cousin are present in the execution, and both are smiling and innocently talking to the vampires.

"This is how much you care about me, you sorry bitches" she thinks, but she can't move because she has two silver swords right under her throat.

Meanwhile, Rey has gone to Vegas. She has interrogated some Agents using Mind Tricks and learned that in Vegas the demons have a hidden base.

Right now, she is in front of the biggest casino, with big neon signs and all. She sees a wanted poster of herself and quickly pulls it down.

The bouncer doesn't allow her to enter unless she pays. She uses a Mind Trick and makes the guard grant her access easily.

She has been informed by Finn and Rose about Canto Bight. Winning brings attention... She might find a suspect.

Her first game will be with dice.

"If you roll sixes, you can win five hundred gold coins. Care to try?"

"Of course."

The dices roll and Rey uses the Force to manipulate them. That's how she manages to roll sixes.

One of the employees rolls his eyes. "Impossible" he thinks. "One dice was loaded!"

The Jedi decides to play roulette next. Even though she has never played before, she doesn't care. She can still win. She decides to bet on black.

This roulette is also rigged. In number 0, where the least players bet and it's neither red nor black, there is a small cavity so it stops there more often, though not obvious.

The ball is about to stop there... but Rey uses the Force again to cheat, and she stops the ball slowly at a black position.

Jakku scavengers believed in survival of the fittest, and there was no cheating unless you got caught. Rey never saw a problem at cheating cheaters.

Most people don't believe in powers and think luck is just really on her side. The employees are looking for magnets or anything similar, and find nothing.

However, Manny Ammon, a millionaire, takes an interest in the girl.

"She seems to be really, really lucky." He turns to one of his friends. "You are a good player in cards. Approach her, find how she is that good the first time she came here..."

Two minutes later, Manny's friend finds the scavenger. "Hello there, young lady! Are you the newcomer who won two games effortlessly?"

"Yeah. Why?"

"Because I want to challenge you to poker!"

Rey knows only Sabacc, no poker. Nevertheless, she accepts.

"What's your name, lady?"

"I am Daisy."

"You can call me Jack, Daisy."

"I will not play without knowing the rules, though..."

Jack explains the rules to Rey. She is listening with great detail.

"And if you win, you will see the best player in the world and an owner of many casinos. He will be happy to talk to a winner. If you lose, you give me all your money."

"Deal."

Jack draws cards for both and takes five for himself, giving five more to the Jedi.

Rey has a full house of three jacks and two tens.

Jack looks her with a sure expression. She is worried. Did he manage to find something better?

Jack raises the bet. "If you win, you also get a ticket to always come here for free. And a coupon to travel to Hawaii."

"What's Hawaii?" she is tempted to ask, but decides against it.

"And if you lose, you will sleep with me tonight."

Rey is taken aback. His face shows no uncertainity. He must have a good hand. But she reads his mind. He has only two queens.

"I call!"

Jack has to show his hand. "How did you see through the bluff?"

"I am just very good at reading people."

Jack gives her the two coupons. "The manager is really interested in you, Daisy. He is a friend of mine. Would you like to meet him?"

"With pleasure."

Back to Forks, Finn has been smelled by about twenty vampires. Some discuss how delicious he is and one or two try their version of flattery by telling him that his blood calls them.

"I know, you all want to kill me for my actions. Can I blame you?"

Renesmee is talking to a vampire with a camera... using her telepathy.

The others don't know what they say.

Meanwhile, Emily, Leah's cousin, tells her that it's her fault Sam, her abusive ex, died, for not being there to defend him and that's why she is so eager to be in her execution.

"You will pay for what you did! Even your baby brother got killed by them, and you were away..."

"Destroying the Volturi single-handedly? I didn't even know Finn, and he decided to help me regardless. I was planning to do this alone. Don't imply I am a coward."

"Still, the treaty said werewolves would not stop vampires from eating people so there will be peace between us and them. You and your boyfriend are violating this! You are causing a war!"

"For humans not to be oppressed by parasites who used to be some of them. It's worth fighting for.

I don't care what you are telling me. You, my mom, or who is left of the old pack. Go to Hell, bitch."

Emily leaves with her head lowered. She approaches the cage with Leah's pet mouse. "Hello, little one. Do you like this cage?"

The cameraman turns to Finn and Nessie. She approaches him with a changed expression. After pinching his cheek once more, she puts her hands in his cheeks. "I will give you something to remember me."

And she is about to kiss him in the lips, to the surprise of everyone.

Meanwhile, she uses her telepathy to tell the cameraman to activate his camera now.

What surprises everyone, even Renesmee, is Finn's reaction, which amounts in a kick to the half-vampire's smug face. The kick is so strong that it actually knocks Nessie down.

Everyone stares at the dark-skinned man with their jaws dropped. He didn't just hit her!

Leah regains her composure first and punches the ground hard, knocking both of her guards down before they recover. Then she grabs a rock and smashes the face of one of them, drawing blood. She runs, though, when the other swings his silver sword at her.

Emily pets Little Finn. "You are Leah's pet, right?"

"Squeak!"

"Good! Do you see these weapons of her and her lover? Give them to their owners."

Renesmee wipes blood from her nose. With her telepathy, she orders everyone to kill Leah and Finn.

Not everyone is willing.

Leah's mother sees her niece and the mouse taking the weapons while everyone else is distracted.

"What are you doing, Emily?"

"Aunt, I am simply helping my daughter. Had to act as if I still hated her. In fact, I am happy she told my old, spineless self to go to Hell."

Leah turns into her wolf form and kills the two vampires holding Finn with her teeth.

As he breaks free and searches for a weapon, Leah uses her paws to blind a vampire with soil. The vampire can still sense her, but flinches regardless and forces himself to blink. Leah dashes at full speed and takes him out.

Then she is surrounded by seven more bloodsuckers. Each is physically stronger than her. She has only one chance. She was training all this time for this. If she fails, she is in the doghouse.

And she performs the Six-Sided Strike... one goes down, two, three, four, five, six... she can still do this...

Seven!

She finally did it! She actually achieved the Seven-Sided Strike...

Finn attempts to fight too. He uses the Force to sense every move of Eleazar and dodge it and then punches him in the jaw, but his fist hurts more than the jaw of his adversary. Eleazar finally finds an opening and with a well-placed right hook sends the dark-skinned man flying.

"It's a shame... with this potential, you could be ths strongest of us all, and you waste it in a human, mortal body! You are a fool, rejecting my gift like that!"

Finn Force Pushes him backwards, but the bloodsucker charges again.

The human seems cornered... but he sees Little Finn throwing him something.

It's his lightsaber. Finn pulls it with the Force and, as Eleazar is about to punch him, the saber emerges through the undead's heart.

"I don't need to be a carcass to be strong!"

Leah manages to tear the throat of one more red-eyed vampire. She remembers the old times, where she struggled with a single newborn vampire. Jacob, npt wanting to be outshined by a woman, pushed her away and killed the newborn to not have to share credit, and got wounded because of his stupidity.

How the times have changed.

She, however, sees the two silver-clad guards coming at her. Both have healed from their injuries. She starts stepping backwards.

Then a stake and a steel pipe are dropped at her feet.

She shifts into a human and takes them.

Meanwhile, Finn has got his blaster too and fills a vampire with bolts. It takes many, but the bloodsucker drops dead.

However, Nessie uses her vampiric gift and orders everyone to cut off any possible exits and to attack from all sides. After the death of her parents, she was no longer spoiled and had to harden her gift to survive. Now the range is increased and she calls some more monsters from around the plaza for reinforcements.

Speaking of reinforcements, the rest of the squad, led by Poe Dameron, encounters a team of Agents. Apparently, the Agents have been all but dissolved and this is one of their last batallions.

However, it is far from weak. They have five helicopters. Four are Heli-G, with powerful machine guns that can tear even steel apart. The fifth one is a Heli-R, which is red and has two rocket launchers fired at a quick rate.

Both forces are full of riflemen, and they aren't even the most elite troops of either side.

The Agents have some Gun Minions with them, which fire their blasters. But they are met with resistance from former Stormtroopers who fire with their own blasters.

The werewolves charge at the Agents, but the Heli-Gs fire their machine guns and manage to kill two of them. However, Poe and his remaining wingmen attack the helicopters and shoot one down quickly.

Q uses his car and sends Spydor Mines at the front row of the enemies, but a Gun Minion shoots the car and inflicts damage. Q rams the robot.

Then he lures a Heli-G towards a rebel pilot's X-Wing. The ship uses Proton Torpedoes and blows the helicopter up! However, the Heli-R proceeds to obliterate the X-Wing.

The Agents start losing many troops, as their infantry is pushed back. They send their secret weapon to deal with the werewolves. Wild Hellhounds.

A rebel falls to an Agent's bullets, while a werewolf is torn apart by two Hellhounds. The Nutty Poet has painted a bazooka again and blocks bullets with an ice wall, using it as cover for herself and her comrades. She fires a rocket and destroys two Hellhounds at once, saving the life of a female rebel.

Two werewolves manage to beat a Hellhound. They take a few bullets, but get close and take out multiple Agents, even S.W.A.T. Thugs. However, a Silver Bullet out of nowhere perforates both of them and they drop dead, howling in pain.

A Stormwolf rifleman takes cover behind the Poet's ice wall and saves himself from incoming bullets. Then he opens fire and guns down two enemies. The Poet herself blows up a Bazooker Boy. However, a second Silver Bullet pierces the wall effortlessly and wounds the Poet's left leg severely!

Q gets out of his car, cloaked, and uses the scope of his sniper to see his enemy... an enemy sniper, pale with red eyes. Q shoots him...

But the sniper takes the shot and just flinches before focusing on Q.

Which confirms the suspicion of the human. "Of course... they have a vampire!"

Back to Vegas, Rey encounters Manny Ammon in his quarters.

She uses the Force to sense the sublimal messages around them.

GAMBLING IS GOOD

MONEY COME EASILY

BET MORE AND MORE

KEEP BETTING YOUR FORTUNE

MONEY IS YOUR GOD

THERE IS NOTHING WRONG WITH SUICIDE

NO GAME NO GAIN

The former scavenger knows the problem.

Ammon offers her a seat. "Hello, my dear... I saw your performance in all my games. Luck really, really seems to hand things to you... or is it something else? You seem used to getting things easily... "

"Just my good luck." Of course, it is totally good luck to be trapped in the desert for all your life, with an abusive caretaker, being attacked by an even more abusive war criminal, being forced to have a stupid bond with said war criminal and having to accept him and his actions, being a descendant of an even worse warmonger and then, because of your attitude, being abandoned by the person who gave the most damn about you because you kept mistreating them to a suicidal point.

Good luck indeed.

Manny sees her expression. "I think it's something else. Maybe you aren't always this lucky. Maybe you just cheated so well you couldn't get caught. Jack told me your name is Daisy, right?"

"Yes, it is."

"Few people see through his bluffs. You read minds very well, I suppose... figuratively, of course. I am glad you beat all my games this way...

You know, you remind me of someone. You resemble Rey Palpatine a lot."

Rey's blood starts boiling. "I saw the legends. She took the name of Skywalker."

"In practice, she only looks others for their power and potential, not their actions towards her. That's quite the Palpatine.

You seem to be a little angry. A fangirl of hers, perhaps? She does inspire people...

Or maybe it is you? Tell me, are you Rey, the last Jedi?"

"No. I am not."

From a certain point of view, she is telling the truth.

[Tonight is what it means to be young](https://youtu.be/6eln48BCELk)

In the plaza of Forks, Finn fights a vampire woman who casts a lightning bolt at him. He deflects it with his lightsaber and, just as she is about to cast again, he Force Pushes her into a fountain and she gets a short circuit.

He sees Leah using her steel pipe and stake to kill a silver-clad guard. The second one wounds her with his sword and then knocks the pipe out of her hands, but she punches the ground hard enough for him to struggle to maintain balance and then stakes him.

"I did it. I beat two enemies full of my weakness."

Another vampire charges at her, but Emily torches the bloodsucker.

Leah approaches her. "How dare you show your face after everything you said to me earlier?"

"It... it was all an act. Renesmee has telepathy. If she suspected me, she would be a step ahead of me. So I pretended to hate you. I freed your pet mouse and we gave you the weapons."

"How come now you give a shit about me? Were the previous actions of you, before I left, acting too? Did Sam abuse you so much that you were afraid to stand up to him because he scarred your face? Or did the imprint brainwash you too, making you a spineless housewife?"

"After he died, I felt all alone. As if I couldn't live without him. He was so much inside my life. A month later, I saw my scars in the mirror. He made them because I told him no. And I realized that I couldn't live with him, just survive. He deserved to die for his abusive tendencies. Now I know why you hated him."

"Finally. Don't worry. He is gone. The soulbond is gone. The abuser is no more. You are free."

"But, still... I am so sorry! Sorry for calling you selfish, a bitter harpy, for allowing my own cousin to be treated like dirt from everyone, for not leaving that bastard while he was alive! Please forgive me!" Emily is on her knees, begging.

"He hurt you. He ruined you. It's all his fault, not yours. And I forgive you for your previous treatment because you said 'please'. Now... try to make up for what you were doing all this time!"

"Ok. By the way... did you mean sending me to Hell?"

"As much as you meant what you said earlier. I don't know how much I meant it, you do."

The reason why the vampires couldn't just kill them both was that they were distracted, as Finn right now too powerful. He can sense their every move. Now he throws a detonator and uses the Force to send it further and faster. The vampires dodge it, but he brings it on one's back and blows up three. Before their pieces recover, a few blaster bolts finish them off.

Then the man seathes his blaster and draws his saber again. The bloodsuckers charge at him again. He cuts through them very easily.

He sees Tanya, who doesn't attack him. "Please! I don't want you dead! I didn't even try to grope you! I just smelled you! Are you going to hurt this body? I surrender! Just don't kill me!"

That's true. She just smelled him and hit on him. He stares at her yellow eyes. Leah told him their meaning, and he never forgot it.

"You are innocent. Leave, and keep avoiding eating people. Oh, and while you hit on others, be a bit more chivalrous. Now, get out of my sight."

Meanwhile, Paul, who genuinely blames Leah for not being there while Sam and Jacob died, manages to catch and throw away her pipe. "Emily had something to gain from their deaths, but for me it was only loss! Your cowardice killed them! While Emily was acting, she was speaking for all of us!"

Leah dodges his punches and the two trade a strong hook. Before she left her pack, Paul was always stronger than her, and he, in spite of not being an abuser or pedophile, never spoke against his Alphas or the imprints and in favor of Leah.

Paul gets up first and goes for a flying kick. It strikes home, preventing the woman from getting up. "You should have stayed in the kitchen, like Emily! She was a fool for rejecting Sam as much as she did, and then learned her place!"

Leah gets up and wipes blood from her mouth. "I should actually keep watching anime..."

"They are Japanese trash!"

"They taught me this! ORA ORA ORA ORA ORA ORA ORA ORA ORA ORA ORA ORA ORA ORA ORA ORA ORA ORA ORA!"

The barrage of punches is too fast for Paul to block and they weaken him a lot. But he is still a former packmate of hers. He gets pissed and shifts into his wolf form, while six undead gunslingers with cowboy hats, part of the reinforcements, arrive. They shoot at her while he lunges. She barely manages to shapeshift when he strikes home, biting part of her shoulder off. She claws him once, but he knocks her down with a bash and a bullet wounds her once more.

"Ok" Leah thinks "I've got this. I have done this before. I am Leah Clearwater!"

And she performs a Seven-Sided Strike, killing all the gunslingers and knocking Paul unconscious.

Nessie has summoned more gunslingers who shoot at the duo, but Finn easily shoots many of them dead one-handed. Then, using both saber and blaster, he repels some Keese and stakes one more red-eyed bloodsucker.

Nessie decides to attack Finn herself, throwing a metal bar like a boomerang. Finn uses his lightsaber to cut it...

"Now is my chance!"

He cuts it in two... three... four... five... six... seven pieces!

Some vampires who saw Star Wars, the legends of Luke Skywalker and his friends, start running away. Renesmee points a finger at him, trembling.

"What are you?"

"I am a Jedi Knight."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Moments for everyone here and in the next chapter! 
> 
> Favorite moment of Finn, Leah, Poe, Q or Rey? 
> 
> I hope you liked the small army battle. It will be resolved soon!
> 
> Why did Nessie try to kiss Finn? You will learn next chapter. 
> 
> Did you like Manny?
> 
> Edit: I saw Boyega's reaction to the handling of his role. While Finn wasn't useless, he was wasted because of racism. 
> 
> Oh well, what bigger FUCK YOU to Disney, the toxic fandom and China's conservative policies... than to make Finn, who is the most suitable for a main character, the main character! Which makes this chapter twice as cathartic for me. 
> 
> Please, don't judge people by their gender or race. The real Dark One is this very belief. He is oppressing people for centuries and corrupting their souls. Will you let him win?


	33. The Rise of Humanity

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Finn has become a Jedi and Leah has become an Alpha. However, Renesmee isn't going to let them escape and save humanity.
> 
> Meanwhile, Poe and his army gain new allies. 
> 
> And Rey realizes that she has limits.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This update came late because I was busy.
> 
> It is for those who love Finn and Leah!

Stunned silence. 

The vampires start stepping backwards. 

Finn points his lightsaber at them. Leah is close to him in her wolf form, her growls making the bloodsuckers nervous. Little Finn and Emily have acquired torches and also keep the undead at bay.

Renesmee is hiding behind some big vampires. "W... what are you waiting for? Get them! GET THEM!" 

A vampire who enjoyed eating children and hated the Volturi and the Black Legion for banning that tries to run away. But Leah, knowing that, lunges at him and tears his throat off. 

Two more try to attack her, but she bites them to death. Finn shoots ten blaster bolts and stops them in mid-air with the Force. Then he shoots them all at once at a vampire, who is burned by them before he can heal.

Then another vampire charges with a steel pipe, attempting to clobber Finn. But the Jedi cuts the pipe and the vampire in half with a heavy swing.

Then he senses someone swinging his sword from behind and ducks at the last second. He rolls away before the next slash and with the Force he sends many small rocks at the immortal. The Vampire Infantryman cuts some in pieces and others do hit him, but are stopped by his armor and skin. These were just the distraction, as Finn shoots him in the eye... and that one is the distraction for a lethal stab in the heart.

Emily uses her torch and sets a vampire on fire. However, a Vampire Infantryman kicks the torch out of her hands and lands a jab at her shoulder. Then he raises his iron sword to kill her... but Leah, as a wolf still, pounces on the soldier and rips him apart. 

"Thank you, Leah."

"You see, I don't mess up all the time." She turns into her human form and offers a hand to her cousin. "We are still family."

Then she turns around and lands a flying kick at a vampire. A ghoul gunslinger fires a bullet, but Clearwater catches the gunshot in mid-air and then punches through his scull. Then she elbows another ghoul before sending it flying with an uppercut. It explodes close to a vampire and destroys his right leg.

However, Nessie silently orders some Wendigos who came to her aid to attack all at once. Then she uses her telepathy to order her personal bodyguard, Zafrina, to defeat Finn.

Zafrina is a vampire Amazon who eats people like most vampires. She is very loyal to Nessie and willing to defend her since she was a baby with her eternal life.

She charges with her spear, screaming.

Meanwhile, the battle between Poe's forces and the defending Agents is raging. The Heli-R actually dodges the blasters of Poe's X-Wing and retaliates with rockets, which are shot down in mid-air. On the ground, the Nutty Poet uses her bazooka to blow up more Agents, taking out three in each shot, even injured by the Vampire Sniper. 

Said sniper uses the high ground and his vampiric senses and tracks down Q, grazing his shoulder with a Silver Bullet. Q does have a light armor that can stop a pistol bullet, but nothing for this. The next bullet almost gets him. He retaliates using one of the new weapons he made. It was for Poe, and the only weapon he perfected, and he hopes it will work. 

It's the Ultraviolet Blaster, a weapon made for vampires. He fires it at the other sniper... and barely misses. 

Q knew he was in a bad position due to the low ground. Realizing his enemy is stronger, he tries to find a higher place. He creates a decoy, making both the sniper and the remaining Heli-G fire there. The Poet shoots the helicopter down.

A rebel rifleman gets shot in the arm by an Agent, while another one dies by three enemy bullets. A werewolf lunges at a Bazooker Boy and kills him, but falls to the vampire sniper. However, a Man of Crete shoots an Agent dead in the chest. The Agent's last thoughts were about how he wanted money for his ill girlfriend.

A former Stormtrooper fires his blaster and destroys a Gun Minion with ease, but gets shot in the stomach by a Magnum. He thinks of how he didn't even get to see his family and hopes he helped this rebellion enough. Another rebel thinks that his parents will probably never learn about what happened to him when he gets shot gravely three times by a Gun Minion.

Poe finally shoots down the Heli-R with his blasters and it explodes. Its remains injure an enemy Agent. 

Q finally gets into a building and finds a good place in a corridor. He takes aim carefully... but the vampire senses him and fires, destroying part of the wall. However, he is finally exposed and in range. Q finally lands a good hit at the vampire's lungs, killing him instantly.

With the strongest units dead, the other Agents have no intention of being killed just to stop some rebels. They decide to retreat, except for the Gun Minions which feel no fear or pain and keep fighting. However, Poe unleashes his proton torpedoes and blows most of them up immediately, while the former Stormtroopers take care of the rest in a few minutes, though not without three dead and four injured.

Poe knows that, in spite of yet another victory, he still lost many men. He allows his soldiers to mourn them for ten minutes.

Fifteen minutes later, Al tells the battle and does his best to demonize the rebels, even bringing up a certain dead Agent's ill girlfriend to show how ruthless Poe and his forces are. 

Poe, hearing that, anonymously orders a woman of the rebel army to donate two hundred gold coins for the innocent woman. He has no problem sacrificing publicity to help her. 

"Don't tell her we are the rebels. She might not accept it. We don't want her to join us, we want to fix something we unknowingly did wrong."

"Yes, General Poe!"

Back to Finn and Leah, they realize the Wendigos are tougher than the vampires and some lesser Yokai. A Wendigo swings his giant tomahawk and Leah barely dodges. The weapon makes a crater in the ground and Leah retaliates with rapid punches to the beast's face. But it survives the barrage and gives her a headbutt, drawing blood. 

Leah punches the ground, creating a small tremor, and then strikes the Wendigo with her steel pipe to knock it down. Finally, before it gets up, she lands a sweep kick and then jumps and gives it an elbow. The Wendigo throws her off it and charges with its elk horns, but Leah jumps over it, grabs them and smashes the monster to the ground, finally finishing it off. 

Finn uses both his blaster and rocks lifted by the Force to weaken a Wendigo with a barrage. The Wendigo spins its tomahawk and stops the first attacks but they overwhelm it eventually. It drops down after about fifty blaster bolts and rocks. 

However, barely, it gets up and charges again. Finn lands one more hit, a blaster bolt to the head, and kills the Wendigo that way. 

Seven more Wendigos attack. 

"Go, Finn! I can take them all!" She turns into her wolf form and unleashes the Seven-Sided Strike again. It is effective... but the Wendigos just barely survive. They are all badly injured, but still seven on one.

Finn faces Zafrina. Both leave a battlecry and leap in the air, ready for a decisive blow. Someone gets hit in mid-air. 

Finn lands on his feet and Zafrina does the same... then she drops down in two pieces. She never stood a chance. 

Then Finn barely senses someone attacking from behind before getting stabbed in the back by a spear. 

It was Zafrina. Her power is to create illusions, so vivid they could fool even other vampires, completely flawless. These can even fool most Force users. And Finn is most Force users.

Zafrina removes the spear from Finn's back and pushes him down with her foot. Then she picks him up with one arm and dashes faster than the human eye can see away from Leah and close to Nessie. 

"Well, well, what do we have here? Looks like vampires are invincible after all! Is this the best humanity can offer? Excellent job, Zafrina. Mom was wrong to be scared of you... she should know in Heaven that you avenged her."

"There is no such thing as master race, Nessie... no matter how much your parents taught you otherwise."

Renesmee puts a hand in his mouth and closes it. "You are in no place to speak of them. You shouldn't even speak to me. You are just a worthless, frail human, who managed to evolve from food to adversary. Crush him, Zafrina. Show how much power you have over the human!"

Of course, when Nessie orders something, it happens. 

Zafrina uses both hands to start choking the Jedi, attempting to crush his windpipe. Nessie has an innocent smile on her face. 

"You can have his body and blood once you are finished! You deserve a reward, Zafrina!" 

"Thank you. Now, as for you, little human, it's time to know your place. Men like you are no match for the Amazons... after you are defeated, humans will learn to obey their masters once more!"

Finn is in the doghouse... he rembers the Fall of Volterra and Bella. If he was fighting against the current odds then, he would have died in seconds. 

However, a Jedi doesn't die so easily. He uses the Force to summon his saber in his open hands and barely manages to stab the Amazon in the stomach.

She falls to her knees. This wound will take two minutes to heal. Finn also falls to his, coughing. His neck is hurting, he struggles to breathe. 

Leah, still in wolf form, has defeated three Wendigos, but one spins its tomahawk and sends her flying at a rock, cracking both the rock and the werewolf's backbone. The Wendigo charges at her, but she rolls away and uses a paw to throw soil into the beast's eyes. Then she finishes it off with three solid bites.

The rest of these beasts, in spite of their injuries, still charge forward from three sides and start viciously beating Leah up. A vampire picks up the silver sword of a dead guard and also goes to finish her off, but Little Finn jumps at him and bites him hard enough to make him drop the blade. Leah sees she can't throw the monsters off her, so she digs underground. 

She makes a tunnel and tries to emerge behind one of the Wendigos... but the monster smells her and is already waiting for her to emerge. Then it strikes her with its tomahawk!

This Wendigo charges again like ten savage elks with its horns. Leah chages into a human and throws a heavy boulder. The Wendigo smashes it effortlessly... but it was a diversion, for Leah throws a smaller one. It's also deflected, but that too is a distraction for a barrage of punches that actually hit and kill the beast.

Two more to go. A Wendigo throws a rock at Leah, but she jumps on it and tries to divebomb the beast. It dodges and strikes her with the tomahawk in the arm. She retaliates with her pipe and rapid strikes, while dodging the tomahawk swings. In the end she jumps, rips a horn of the monster and clobbers it with its severed limb.

The last one roars so loud Leah flinches and rushes ar her. She throws her steel pipe, but the monster ducks and keeps charging. Leah seems confident though...

One second before she gets a fatal hit, the pipe returns as a boomerang, striking the beast from behind. Then she lands rapid jabs and finally finishes the Wendigo off with her stake in its forehead.

Meanwhile, Finn jumps over a spear thrust and steps on the spear. He does a front flip behind Zafrina and stakes her in the heart with his lightsaber. 

"How... dare you..."

"Because I can. Looks like the stakes have been raised!"

Nessie can't believe it. Finn and Leah approach her, ready to rumble.

"How? You are just cannon fodder who thinks he is something more, a worthless human who isn't even Caucasian, and you are but a pariah dog who acts like a petty bitch and disrespects your tribe's traditions! How did you manage to fight so many of us? How did you think of defying your masters?"

"Well, we did the one thing you would never do, spoiled brat!" Leah responds. "Hard work! We faced all kinds of hardships, got hurt even by what we considered family, and still came where we are. You? You and entire covens and packs acted like you are the center of the world! And your wretched species, from which you are only half of it and the other half is human, is not above humans and never will be!"

Renesmee bares her teeth to Leah. "You disrespectful Omega! I wonder why Jake made you good-for-nothing filth a Beta at all. Nobody wanted you, traitor! I showed you kindness, and you threw it in my face, and you also disrespected my mother."

"The misanthrope who had everything handed to her?" 

Finn gets in. "You can keep your kindness to yourself, jailbait. I know very well why you tried to kiss me. I saw the vampire with the camera. Because you only look like an adult, it will be me kissing a child. You wanted to do this to frame me wrongly as a pedophile, the greatest of all evils, just to make sure I no longer inspire anyone and get ruined.

People like you make the actual rapists more likely to get away with their atrocities. 

Your next line is: 'But I didn't say anything! How do you know this, asshole?'"

"But I didn't say anything! How do you know this, asshole?"

"You used telepathy to tell your close friends your plan. That was quite clever. If I was captured six days ago, I would think you were being inconsistent, since you had a valid reason to hate me. But I can now read minds as a true Jedi Knight."

Nessie gives him a horrified look, but regains her composure and starts justifying what she tried to do. "Well, even if I did try to do that, is your reputation so important? After all, you are still human. Eventually you will grow old and die. I don't think your name is more important than my family, Finn. 

You think it's all about you, huh? Yourself, your family, your loved ones. Did you think poor mom would also have loved ones, a whole family, waiting for her? That she inspired a lot of vampires, but also humans who wanted to be immortal? Did you think people would mourn her loss when you murdered her?" 

"I was defending myself from her attempt to kill me. She kept gloating about how she is a glorious immortal and I should learn my place. I did learn my place. It's to be a Jedi, someone who will fight for those who can't defend themselves and inspire others to be free."

Leah has also something to say. "Tell me, Renesmee. Your mother did not eat people, but she had no problem with other bloodsuckers doing so. Your father was even worse about that. They condoned murder, and Mommy Dearest threw away her actual father for immortality and eternal beauty. 

Do _you_ realize that the humans the vampires eat also have families, friends and loved ones? Or are they nobodies, you don't know them and so they do not matter at all? Your parents believed in the latter. They even helped other covens eat people in exchange for them assisting in saving your skin. 

You enable, condone murderers. We just stand up to them."

Finn speaks next. "And we do care about the loved ones of those people. That's why I started an uprising of men and women taken from their families and forced to murder. They don't have less value than you, Nessie. The world does not revolve around you and your coven."

Renesmee glares at both. "Are you questioning our kind's need to survive? You look at this from the point of the human view. But for us, humans are a required food source. After all, humans will die sooner or later, while a vampire can live forever. 

Do you care when a cow is milked and then eaten? I am afraid you are the hypocrites. You have a problem with my friends eating humans, but not with those _poor, innocent humans_ murdering cows and sheep to eat. 

And my mom never killed anyone before! So what if she says she has no problem with people getting eaten? It's just words."

"Saying you are wrong is also just words" Leah responds. "Humans are more aware of their surroundings than other animals. And you don't say that because you care about animals. You say it to justify the killing of humans. Humans also have ambitions in life, they are just as sapient as vampires. Besides, you drink animal blood, am I right?" 

"Yes, Aunt Leah, you are right. I have to survive somehow. However, you might care about those ordinary people as much as you like. You can't however make as strong bonds with them as with your family. Say what you want. For me, my family matters more than everyone else. 

I wonder, do you even know the value of a family?" 

"Yeah. Leah and I are one." Finn replies. "My actual one? Sadly, I was taken from it when I was little. Same with many others. Do you know who got more sympathy and attention? The leader of the cult which did this. He threw away his family for power, but he kept taking. Leah told me about your father. He was just like him. I was told everything about how your parents acted with each other. 

Did your mom tell you that her shit for husband watched her sleep? DID SHE?"

"Yes. It's the truest of love. What's wrong with that?" 

"He disrespected her privacy and dignity. She couldn't hide. Not from him. Of course, she saw it as romantic. She did not care about her friends, not about her family, she isolated herself from everyone but her abuser. I will save for her all the empathy she had for others. At least she cared about you.

Then again, I could have done her a favor. Living forever with your stalker is worse than a quick death."

As the argument goes on, Renesmee uses telepathy to secretly order some vampires to attack the duo from behind. Then she talks to distract them. 

"This was insensitive of you, Jedi. What you did still can't be justified. And neither can all the hate and malice I got from you, Aunt Leah! You two hurt me nore than you can possibly imagine. I had a happy life until you and those Silver Moblins came along!"

"You had everything handed to you, innocent families ruined in the name of your hide. And about the Silver Moblins, you have every right to hate us. We don't care. But did you ever think funding the system behind the Moblins robs you of that revenge? Or maybe you kept funding because you got rid of that asshole who was grooming you since birth? And about that, your 'loving' parents didn't seem to care. At least not your dad. Your mom did react correctly in the beginning, but stopped caring quickly."

"Besides, even in revenge, there are always some limits. Kill me and you will be justified. But encouraging your maids to harass me and then trying to frame me for something no sane person would do... that crossed a line."

"I disagree with your priorities. Framing is not half as bad as murder."

As Finn and Leah keep talking with Renesmee, twelve vampires try to sneak on them. 

Meanwhile, Rey and Manny are having another conversation. "So, Daisy, you are planning to stay here?" 

"Yes, for a little while."

"Looking for something? Or someone?" 

"To find myself."

Rey is looking at the walls. 

The messages are here too.

FORGET WORK, WE GIVE EASY MONEY

MONEY IS YOUR RELIGION

GAMBLE WHATEVER YOU LIKE 

She doesn't want to look upset by them. She will blow her cover if this happens.

Manny keeps talking. "Oh, we have the best hotels in Vegas. You see, I own the biggest chain of hotels and casinos here." 

He takes out a cigarette and smokes. "And another thing. You know smoking is bad for your health, right? Sometimes, I do try to advertise the opposite, because I need money for all these beautiful casinos and hotels to exist. But the truth is, it can really do your lungs in. Its toxins hurt even the brain, causing addiction. 

Yeah, to something irrelevant, I love watching Star Wars, Daisy. I love seeing the legends of another Galaxy. Though I don't understand why Rey would reject her family indentity..."

"Because her grandfather was a tyrant. She would prefer to be a member of the family that actually loved her. In spite of the new family including that monster, Kylo. Though his death and her adoption does eliminate what Rey was forced to do due to that bond..." 

"That's true. Do you want to hear an obscure fact? Breath is important to Force users. Smoking can drop them unconscious in five minutes." 

Rey tries to hide her worry. She wants to run, but it might be a lie. Luke and Leia never told her that. To be sure, she attempts to read Manny's mind. He, however, senses it and shields his mind... the two have a mental struggle.

In the end, Rey does manage to read his mind and see he is bluffing, but she shows physically signs of effort. 

Manny gives her a ticket. "This will allow you entrance to our great attraction, the Golden Limestone Cave. It's perfect for millionaires. Meet me tomorrow there."

"I will." 

Rey leaves. 

The moment she is out, the casino owner calls his security. 

"Activate the slot machines."

Back to the plaza of Forks, Finn and Leah are fighting once more. Nessie's family had baseball bats, being very good at this sport. Now some bats have come to life and attack the duo using more baseball bats. They also have baseball caps. Some vampires also use baseball gear.

Leah barely parries a baseball bat with her steel pipe, while Finn fights off a vampire with his lightsaber. At one point he manages to steal a bat and Little Finn sets it on fire.

Finn strikes a vampire with the ignited club and sends him flying backwards. 

"Home run!" Emily remarks.

Then Finn uses his bat to smack another vampire, while Leah lands a flying kick to a living bat. She punches it several times until it goes down and then uses her steel pipe to clobber another bat. 

Finn sees a vampire about to raise a pistol. He throws the blazing baseball bat at the bloodsucker. The gunman would have easily dodged if the Force didn't guide the projectile. Finn switches back to his lightsaber to fight one more baseball club coming at him, while Little Finn fights a Keese. Leah fights an umpire vampire, who is heavily armored and the stake doesn't penetrate him. He manages to punch her hard a few times, but she concentrates all her strength in one punch and creates a hole to the enemy's chest. Then she lands a jab with the stake in this very hole.

Nessie tries to sneak past Finn, but even though she makes no noise he senses her with the Force. She attempts to punch him, but he dodges and gives her a Dollyo Chagi. However, she lands a dash punch and knocks him backwards.

"You made it this far, but you are tired from killing my servants and friends. In the end, you will still be defeated... because you are stupid, slow, pathetic and human, and you will die because of it!"

Finn Force Pushes her backwards and shoots her once in her stomach with his blaster. 

"You know, Nessie... those were the last words of Bella when she tried to murder me. There is one reason you lost, Renesmee Carlie Cullen. You underestimated humanity, shapeshifters and, above all else, free will."

Nessie struggles to get up. When Leah takes care of the last guard, she approaches. 

"You!" Nessie spits. "You corrupted him! You made him forget his place! You broke the treaty, you disgusting traitor! You are nothing but a bitter harpy, a pathetic bitch who should have stayed in the kitchen, just like Emily! You always hated my family for no reason!"

Emily chuckles. "No. Leah really had to get over Sam, but that was because she deserved better. I was someone to pity. Not anymore."

"And I am not nothing" Leah adds. "People see me as worthy. They believe I matter. I am loved, Nessie. I have friends, real family now. Your words can no longer hurt me. And one more thing. I did not brainwash anybody. What Finn and I have... is not an imprint."

Nessie spits on her face and charges at full speed, but Leah was always the fastest in her pack and has become seven times as fast in her travels. She wipes her face with her right hand and then uses it to knock Nessie backwards with a casual slap in the face.

Renesmee bursts into tears. This is not fair! These two ruined her perfect life! They were to be executed. They had to be! She deserved to have her revenge! 

They were fools to stand up to those stronger than themselves! They should have been punished. How did not they? 

Finn points at her with his blaster. But then he lowers it. 

Renesmee can't believe it. He did not shoot.

"Why... why did you spare me? I tried to ruin you, just like you ruined me, and you..."

"As I said, you are right to want revenge, even though you went off the edge. Do you know why I spared you? Because I do not kill helpless children."

"You... I will make you pay!"

"You can't. You no longer pose a threat to Leah, or me, or anyone. To be honest? When I killed your mother, I had no choice. If I got caught off-guard then, she would return with my head. I am sorry, Nessie. Right now, I could have spared her and probably would.

The world does not revolve around you. You aren't really worth killing. I have broken you enough, and so has Leah. I am a Jedi, and I don't want to break you anymore."

As the two leave Renesmee, Leah turns to Finn. "But... she would lie that you are a pedophile! I am surprised you didn't kill her!"

"She is but a child in an adult's body. Knowing that will crush her ego completely."

"I agree. Besides... she didn't deserve to die for being a spoiled brat."

Little Finn comes along. Emily also wants to come.

"Emily... we are all fighters there. We struggle against enemies bigger and stronger than the werewolves and vampires. Please stay safe."

"I think you need support, though... I can cook very well. Plus, I want to redeem myself for my attitude towards you."

Leah thinks about it for a moment. "You are in. An army does need support."

Back to Rey, she was about to leave the casino, but three animated slot machines ambushed her and blocked her way. 

Right now, they throw coins at her at the speed of bullets, but she deflects them all using the Force. Then she fires blaster bolts and does inflict some damage, but they keep fighting. One of them rolls itself and gets three cherries. 

Suddenly, colossal red cherries come from the sky and try to crush her, bouncing randomly close to Rey. She tries to dodge them, but the cherries have no pattern and their movements are erratic. Plus, a second slot machine fires more coins and hits Rey in the back, though she only feels it a little. 

The third slot machine also makes a spin and rolls axes. Suddenly, from its back four spinning axes are launched like boomerangs towards Rey. The Skywalker would have been cut in half if she didn't sense them with the Force. She rolls forward and the axes cut two of the cherries. Then she draws the yellow saber and manages to strike one of the machines. It gets damaged, but not defeated and jumps to crush her.

She jumps sideways and avoids the stomp, then she Force Pushes the machine backwards and leaps for the finishing blow. But a coin hits her leg and makes her lose her balance.

She gets up and lifts a table, sending it at her enemies. But another slot machine rolls axes and cuts it in half. The customers, of course, have all ran away. Rey lifts an inanimate slot machine and sends it at one of the living ones, wrecking both at once.

Then she dodges and deflects a double barrage of coins before hitting a target with her saber, throwing it as a boomerang. The enemy survives and rolls watermelons. The watermelons come from the sky and are bigger than the actual ones. One even hits Rey.

The other slot machine rolls emeralds and sends a barrage of them at the Scavenger. They are faster, harder, sharper than regular coins. But Rey manages to deflect all of them with the Force and is about to attack... However, the other enemy rolls bulls and charges, striking her and knocking her down.

Rey focuses on the machine and casts a powerful bolt of Force Lightning, blowing it up through a short circuit. But the last one rolls... three different things. Nothing happens and Rey fires a lightning bolt. The enemy barely survives and makes one final roll...

Jackpot!

From its stomach, the guard draws a gatling gun and fires 100 bullets per second, with Rey unable to deflect all of them. From its back, it creates thrown axes. From the ground, summoned Stalchildren. From the ceiling, big cherries. 

Rey tries to dodge them all and even shoots the Stalchildren dead with her blaster. But a bullet grazes her ribs and another hits her knee. She barely ducks and dodges an axe, though it cuts some of her hair. She finds herself unable to dodge a cherry coming on top of her, though... she has only one choice. She uses the Force to lift the cherry and send it right at the slot machine. It uses its gatling gun and shreds the cherry to pieces. But one blaster bolt destroys it.

Rey, barely standing up, runs from the casino.

Four hours later, Poe and his forces pinpoint a treasure chest in a lake. It's guarded heavily by orcs in the shores. Poe sees that they also have a troll with them. A swing of its club can destroy vehicles. 

Orcs are physically stronger than humans, though weaker and far slower than the vampires. Even their fodder takes five or six bullets to go down. Poe allows BB-8 to go to the ground and help in the fight. Then he blows up ten orcs using his X-Wing. Q had given him the ultraviolet ray in case of vampires, though there are none here.

Now he uses his sniper rifle and shoots the troll in the head, but to his surprise it merely flinches. He decides to pick an Orc Archer who is aiming at an Egyptian rebel. The archer goes down in one shot. 

Greyfur charges at the orcs and takes out nine of them effortlessly. An Orc Sergeant attacks him with his sword, but the werewolf dodges and claws him before punching him hard several times. Then the warrior lunges at the troll, but a club swing throws him backwards.

Poe decides to help against the troll... but to his surprise, there is one more monster. A Peahat. It flies and its spinning blades can rip even an X-Wing apart. Poe fires at it, but his blasters do nothing. Not even the proton torpedoes do anything to its thick hide.

"Are you shitting me?"

A werewolf gets slashed in the back by an orc and knocked out, but Embry lands rapid jabs at the orc officer and takes him out of the fight with a heavy uppercut. 

However, the lake's forces come to aid the orcs. Octoroks are octopuses who fire rocks from their mouths and have an infinite supply. They are purple and red, which means they are basic. Also, a boat filled with S.W.A.T. Thugs, all armed with assault rifles, and some Troglodytes who jump out of the water, armed with tridents.

Q effortlessly shoots a S.W.A.T. Thug dead, but one of his allies is gunned down quickly. A Troglodyte uses his trident and stabs a werewolf through her scull.

BB-8 electrocutes many orcs and dodges arrows, but a thug's bullet grazes him. He rolls under the Peahat, who is winning the battle with Poe, and bleeps, pointing the torch at the Peahat's belly.

The Nutty Poet uses an AK-47 and shoots at the enemies, taking out many orcs and even Octoroks. However, the ice wall she used for cover is broken by the rocks the Octoroks were spitting. 

She uses her Naginata to duel a Troglodyte, and neither seems to gain the upper hand. However, a rock is going for her head to break this tie...

Only for an unseen force to redirect the rock at the monster, allowing the Poet to get a stab in. And suddenly, a young white woman armed with an one-handed broadsword she had for decoration at home comes to help the Poet! She uses her telekinesis again to push an Orc backwards and stabs another one in the gut, while the Poet finally finishes the Troglodyte off. 

"Thank you! Who are you?" 

"I am Virago. You must be the Nutty Poet... I admire you and all your friends!"

She is the same, formerly sick Virago Rey cured and encouraged. Now healthy, she can even use her telekinesis in combat. She uses it to stop another Octorok's rock going for a rebel. 

A black woman comes to her aid, holding a Gunblade, slashing and shooting the orcs. She even shoots an Octorok dead. However, she encounters the troll, which shrugs off her bullets and is too big to allow to get stabbed. Many orcs accompany it.

The woman extends a free hand to the big brute. "Help my friends." 

The troll starts smashing the orcs instead!

The S.W.A.T. Thugs are still a threat, though. They keep shooting at the Stormwolf troops and even kill some of them, though not without casualties, as the woman with the Gunblade shoots two of them dead and heavily wounds another. Then she uses the blade to gut an attacking orc.

The troll seems unstoppable, and makes short work of the enemies on land. However, it attempts to enter the lake without being able to swim. 

Before the woman can stop it, the Peahat uses its many blades to decapitate the traitorous giant. 

However, Poe, warned by BB-8, spots the soft and small spot in the Peahat's belly, indicated by the direction of his droid friend's torch. And when the Peahat is distracted by the troll, Poe comes behind the exposed weak point and fires his proton torpedoes. The Peahat explodes, and only a few Mini Peahats remain, which are easily defeated by the sniper rifle of Q and Poe's blasters.

The elite Agents manage to shoot a rebel sergeant dead. A knife-wielding Man of Crete picks up the dead sergeant's rifle and fires, but misses the first shot entirely. Q is grazed by an Octorok and an Agent. 

The Nutty Poet draws her bazooka. As the rebel with his sergeant's rifle covers her and Virago stops a bullet coming straight at the Poet, the Asian woman fires a rocket and sinks the enemy boat. 

"Well done, team! We almost won... but how we get the treasure?" 

The black woman introduces herself. "My name is Gray, and I am a friend of Virago. We are actually three women. The third one, Kallie, should be here soon. She is very suitable for this..."

And a plump white woman, with short hair and webbed hands and feet, appears. She has a net for a weapon. 

"Oh, here you are." Gray turns to the others. "Don't underestimate her... just don't."

Kallie learns the treasure is underwater. She chuckles and dives. She proceeds to swim extremely fast and some Octoroks try to stop her. She performs a Seal Spin, a move that makes her twirl and strike like a torpedo underwater. This is powerful enough to defeat even the Octoroks. She approaches the treasure chest, but she has to confront a pufferfish, which will hurt her if she uses the Seal Spin. She uses her net to fight the fish off and manages to be victorious. 

She opens the chest easily and finds two powerful swords. The mighty Orca Swords. 

Once upon a time, they belonged to the terrifying Captain Atma, who was a leader of powerful robo-pirates and a great threat to the world. But Commander Saber, the leader of the then very powerful Resistance, managed to fight her. It was a grueling battle between two great warriors, known as the clash of the Shark and the Orca. Atma fell and her swords had been vanished. Until now. 

But Kallie finds something else too. An improved net, the Spirit Net. It's green, twice as strong as the regular one, and can catch ghosts. As well as some Ice Eggs for ranged combat. 

As she returns, one last red Octorok shoots her from afar. She dodges and defeats it with an Ice Egg. 

Then she comes to the surface, carrying all the treasure.

Poe is amazed. "Awesome! How did you manage to..."

"I am great underwater. I can hold my breath for two hours and fight even better than on land."

She shows the others the treasure. Gray, Poe, Q and the Poet don't need anything, some troops get five Ice Eggs each, Kallie keeps the rest and the net to herself. 

"Anyone who wants the Orca Swords? They are legendary weapons from before the takeover!"

Virago remembers how orcas made her happy after she got rid of her abusive ex. "Me! Me! Me! Me! ME!"

Kallie smiles. Then she gives the blades to Virago. "Ok. They are all yours."

And this day, Stormwolf became far stronger than before.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sadly, again, I found this chapter growing too big and decided to cut a big fight. Which will be in the next chapter and will involve Rey.
> 
> Did you like Nessie and her fate?
> 
> And the performance of Finn and Leah?


	34. Large Scale Problems

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Rey goes after Manny, but discovers how deep she is in.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Warning: This chapter is not the most Rey friendly.

Finn is alone and exploring a tunnel that is partially flooded. The place is known as the Cave of the Thirsty Scavenger and the General seems happy to explore the place. A big hand pushes him forward. Then it grabs him and is about to pull him out.

Then Rey wakes up in her luxurious hotel room which she rented. "Damn it! It was going to be the best moment! Why did I have to wake up now?" She dreamed of being gigantic and engaging in personal activities with Finn. She misses him, but also wants to have that feeling of power.

She turns on the TV as she readies breakfast for herself, just like she always did, and it shows Al demonizing Finn and Leah again.

"After being brought to justice by a poor girl who lost her parents and lover because of these two murdering bastards, the Traitor and the Bitter Harpy escaped at the last second. The sleazy, repulsive Finn kicked the little girl in the face after she rejected his advances and then the outcast bitch, Leah, started murdering innocent people left and right because they just wanted to survive.

In fact, after her cousin gave Finn his weapons back, he started murdering people too. The reason they did this is because they disagreed with the diet of their victims. They also showed great racism for the color of the eyes of the victims.

Many decent people lost their lives that day because of that Native American savage, who even viciously bit some of the poor people there to death and crippled a member of her own family, while insulting another.

In the end, after that dastardly useless traitor, who should have stuck to chasing after the scavenger Jedi who used to do God's work..."

"Finally, he gave some good advice."

"... gloated about the murder of a little girl's mom, he pretended he was a Jedi by cutting a bar to seven pieces and then along with Leah beat up the girl, sparing her because they pretended to be good people."

Rey chuckles, not believing the story. However, her jaw drops when she hears that the bounty of Finn and Leah has been tripled!

"They must have done some serious damage to the enemy. Alright. I am the all-powerful Chosen One, though, and I am about to deal even more."

After Starkiller, Rey boasted she beat Kylo single-handedly. Finn pointed out she couldn't do so if not for him and Chewbacca. She was determined to prove him wrong. And, encouraged by the benevolent spirit guiding her through the Dyad, when Finn came to her aid in Kef Bir, she threw him away so she will have all the glory to herself. As a result, she lost and Leia had to die to give her an opening.

And there was a deep voice congratulating her for that. It helped these thoughts into her mind. She was sure she was doing the right thing. In fact, the power behind the Dyad seemed to control that action, but she made no attempt to resist it.

She saw how Al portrayed her when she was like this. Like she was a paragon of virtue, someone everyone should strive to be like. Looking back at that moment, it was not just her usual pride. It was something else, something that was not herself. At that moment, she felt that she was nothing without Kylo, but also that she didn't need anyone else and that she should throw all of them away. Plus, her pride, apart from that dependency, had been bloated tenfold then.

No matter. This and many other similar moments are the reason she is here. They left her alone, friendless, motivating her to isolate herself. Now she is going to make sure they lose their important members, one by one.

But if the demons no longer have power over her, why does she still feel a little jealous about the successes of Finn and Leah?

"I don't know how much control I had then over my actions... but I do know I will make up for them."

She takes the ticket and goes for the Golden Limestone Cave.

In her way to the Golden Limestone Cave, she encounters a red-eyed vampire. A vampire that reminds her of Kylo Ren. She instinctively raises her lightsaber.

The vampire chuckles. "You must be Rey, right? The Chosen One, the one who brought Balance to the Force like Anakin. Did you have to turn on your superior beings? You stopped Palpatine, that was enough."

"The path of a Jedi is never done. Not when you discover someone else is using you as a pawn, monster."

"But you could do it due to the power of the Great One. The one he bestowed to you and allowed you to win your first duel with no training."

"My friends are the reason I did so. Not any stupid bond with Kylo."

"You deny it, but it was what awakened your Force abilities. If not for Kylo, if not for your Dyad, you would be nothing. You should have killed yourself to be with him. Or try to change history to bring him back. Now you are just trying to bite the hand feeding you. Without him, you aren't worth anything."

"How are you so sure?"

"I used to have a girlfriend while I was still a human. It was a weakling called Virago. We had a bond once... she was just like you. And like you, she regretted being with her true love all of sudden, in spite of being nothing without him."

Rey remembers Virago. She was a very nice lady. Though she seemed to suffer due to an abusive ex. Rey realizes exactly who the vampire is. After Virago left him, he blamed her for everything and got away with his attitude. However, three months later, a redhead vampire called Victoria bit him and turned him into a bloodsucker. He seduced women and ate them, alone.

The Jedi digs into his memories, invades his mind. "You are just like Kylo! Charming on the outside, a cold-blooded murderer inside. And I am not making the mistake I once did again. Your good looks and power have brought you only this far! In the name of Virago and all poor women you hurt, I will punish you!"

The red-eyed undead lunges at her and goes for a bite. However, Rey is even faster and stakes him in the cold heart. Then she cuts off his head, then his other head, then she chops him to pieces. And as he is dying, Rey tells him one last thing.

"Virago is not nothing, just like I am not nothing. You, like Kylo, are just a parasite. Send him greetings when you meet him."

After she leaves as nothing of value was lost, she goes to the cave with no other obstacles. She sees it's made of solid gold, but also full of gems. There is also another television, playing Boar News again. Apparently, the regular police was dismantled and the Agents now play second fiddle to the robots for security.

She finds a lot of gold, bills, silver, bronze and gems in treasure chests. However, she senses... life in soms of them. And is not wrong. Because said chests open by themselves and show very sharp _teeth_. And long tongues.

Rey readies her lightsaber. She knows now that it's a trap and she fell in. She is _not_ going down without a fight.

Meanwhile, Poe's forces make a camp near the lake.

"So, " Gray says "we learned that you are here and leading a rebellion against the Black Legion. You have no idea how much I miss you, Finn and Rey... I heard Finn founded this force, but he isn't here."

"They got him. I hope he and Leah, our founders and strongest members, managed to break free."

"I heard they did." Kallie informs them. "I heard some Boar News. And seems like their bounty skyrocketed after they did so."

"That's great!" Virago comments. "And, by the way, Rey is also in the country. I used to have Ovarian Syndrome, and she cured me!"

Poe has a big grin. All three girls can't help but blush seeing him so happy. "This means she is still herself. But what is she looking for?"

"From what I could figure, revenge, redemption, or both."

"So, Kallie" Q comments "nice name! Where does it come from?"

"Baikal. A seal in Russia. My power basically is that of the seal... great swimmer, can breathe two hours underwater..."

"Sounds nice... beforehand, we didn't have the means to engage marine monsters."

"Your power?"

"Invisibility. Along with having a sniper rifle and making gadgets, I am the primary support of the team. Poe is the leader of the air forces, the best pilot and the planner."

"So, basically, we are missing..."

"The two heaviest hitters. Now we just need them and a base to make sure we can face off against such a powerful enemy."

"How did you learn about the existence of monsters?"

"It was actually a powerful gangster who informed me. I started as a vigilante and sniped criminals. However, I had to confront Cementor, the right hand man of the Black Gold Gang. He was far more powerful in a straight fight, a great threat in cities because he controlled concrete. We had to team up to defeat the Romanian Coven. Cowardly vampires who wanted to eat babies and destroy those against that practice.

We won because they couldn't bite through his concrete and then parted ways. Because I knew, Agents began coming after me."

"I feel you. I once went to swim for fun and got pretty deep. That way, I discovered some monsters lurking along with the innocent fish. They were the Scullfish, living fishbones. They attacked me, hungry, and I managed to escape them easily. Later, I learned how to fight underwater and got my revenge a week after."

Virago speaks to Poe about her past. He understands her. "I hope your Kylo gets what he deserves. Just remember, nobody has to control your life but you, Virago. Both the Resistance and Stormwolf were made from people who want to control their own lives, for people who want to control their own lives."

"And that's why I am here. To carve my own path."

In the Golden Limestone Cave, Rey also is carving her own path. As well as some hungry Mimics. Her double yellow lightsaber is too fast and strong for the Mimics to fight against, and its user is a Skywalker with the blood of Palpatine.

However, a Golden Moblin is waiting for her. He is wielding a red lightsaber, like the one Toni encountered in Egypt. Rey fires her blaster to finish the fight quickly, he blocks it. She thinks twice before using Force Lightning, after all she did block it from Palpatine using two sabers. She instead tries a Mind Trick.

"You will drop your weapon and lead me to Manny Ammon."

"I will drop your head and lead it to Manny Ammon."

The Golden Moblin charges with his saber, and he would have chopped Rey's neck if she didn't manage to parry on time. However, the Golden Moblin is too fast for a riposte. The yellow and red sabers clash again and again. Both trade jabs at each other's shoulders and then strong kicks in the chests.

After both are knocked backwards, Rey charges first with a fierce battlecry. She performs rapid spins with her double saber, which could break almost any defense. The Golden Moblin parries all attacks, though he is sweating and getting slowly pushed backwards.

However, he doesn't want to give up. He is still the peak of his race, the final evolution of the carriers of his god's will. He can take on the granddaughter of the Emperor. He finally pushes her back and wounds her in the ribs.

"Heh. I am an elite of the Black Legion. Do you really think you can beat me?"

"I don't think so... "

With the Force she throws him backwards. Then she makes a golden boulder drop on top of him.

"I am absolutely sure."

She leaves a sigh of relief and goes to confront Manny. However, she senses something is wrong. After going just five meters away, the golden boulder she threw comes back at her!

She rushes forward and cuts it to hundreds of pieces. However, she is so focused that the Golden Moblin is back into the fight... and this time, he is behind her and about to thrust his red saber!

She dodges at the last second, and only because she used the Force to sense the attack. It still grazes her. She turns around and with a rapid twirl disarms the Moblin before stabbing him in the heart.

After catching her breath, she rushes forward, where Silver Slimes await. Along with them, a Golden Moblin with a bazooka. She throws multiple chunks of rock, silver and gold at the monsters, weakening them, and then fires her blaster. A minute later, some slimes fall, but the Moblin fires a rocket.

Rey tries to shoot it in mid-air. Unfortunately for her, she is not the greatest shot and misses the rocket, only grazing the shoulder of the enemy. The missile comes and only a well-timed roll sideways saves Rey from being blown up. However, a slime gets close just as she recovers and bites her before getting stabbed. Another rocket comes, blowing up the slime, but Rey was fast enough to avoid a direct hit. The explosion still injures her.

The bazooker fires a third rocket. "Hold still!"

Rey realizes she needs to be herself. She isn't a crack shot, she can't fight as Finn. She, however, is still a great Force user. She has to deflect the shot as Rey. She uses the Force and sends it back to the Moblin, gravely wounding him. Then she casts Force Lightning and finishes him off.

"Be yourself. Works every time."

She uses the Force to sense the messages in the walls.

FRIENDSHIP IS FAILURE

HAPPINESS CAN BE BOUGHT WITH MONEY

MONEY IS YOUR GOD

TAKE WHAT OTHERS HAVE AND YOU DON'T

THERE IS NO STEALING UNLESS YOU GET CAUGHT

THE WAY TO THE TOP IS BRINGING DOWN OTHERS

"Will they also teach us to be Sith next?"

As she approaches Manny, she sees more messages through the Force. Directed towards _her._

YOU ARE NO JEDI

YOU CAME FROM NOTHING

YOU ARE NOTHING, BUT NOT TO US

ARE YOU TURNING ON THOSE WHO BROUGHT YOU THAT FAR?

She also opens a chest and finds a flask of healing potion. Since she could not Force Heal herself, she really needed that one.

Eventually she reaches Manny. Who sits on a platinum chair, crossing his arms like nothing happened at all.

"Welcome, Rey 'Skywalker'. I suppose we both realized the true face of each other. That's why you are here with the lightsaber.

Why hide it? Still, are you sure you can face me just because you got rid of two competent guards? Do you know what you really are, Scavenger? You are a spawn of a failed clone of the second best user of the Dark Side. A pawn we used to get rid of a thorn in our side.

You are _our_ product, your purpose was to elevate a war criminal and bring the Balance. You see, that sells in humanity. They judge others by gender and race. Many hated you because you were a woman, and believed you should not be able to live without your precious other half. I believe it too.

Mostly. But you can still redeem yourself. I will offer you a casino, two hotels and one of my private islands if you offer to bow down to me and accept your destiny. To be our prophet."

Rey grits her teeth, her eyes are yellow. She remembers her talk with Finn right before Exegol. And then with Virago.

"People tell me they know me. I was wrong. Some do. And this is why your god tried to influence me, right? To drive me away from them, towards the wrong people. I had friends who did support me... and YOU TOOK THEM AWAY!" She casts Force Lightning strong enough to blow up a transport ship, slightly more powerful than the one in Pasaana.

She knows she is now facing one of the primary servants of the one behind her suffering, and she is going to get her revenge.

The bolt is blue, completely focused as a beam.

However, Manny's right arm turns into diamond and deflects the lightning bolt into the golden ceiling.

He, however, makes a step back.

"Ugh... you know, that was a good shot. But is this the best you can do?"

Rey fires her blaster ten times, but Manny still uses the diamond arm to deflect all the bolts.

"Hmmm... poor choice. Maybe I should raise my offer. Two islands. Different from your desert. You can live there like a queen. No need to live in poverty. No need to live in the desert. You will have baths at a sea of gold! You need the riches."

"You can't buy me with money. Money don't make happiness by themselves."

"Oh, everyone has their price. What's yours? Maybe I should rip off my shirt? Then you can overlook anything I might do."

Rey charges with her lightsaber, but Manny launches a barrage of sharp diamond projectiles. She cuts some with her saber, deflects some more with the Force, but one manages to hit her in the ribs.

"Should I try to give you a continent? Oh wait... sadly, you are not greedy. Well, time is money and I don't want to waste any more minutes. So, my strongest monster will take care of you. Gildiss!"

And an enormous red dragon, at least twelve meters big, emerges.

Manny turns to him. "Fight this woman. I have to buy another casino."

The dragon turns to her. "This is the woman who gave us so much trouble? So sad you are still a human. I will turn you into carbon!"

Rey uses the fallen diamond shards to attack and they actually pierce the dragon's hard scales and skin. The giant dragon roars and breathes fire. His flames can even melt gold and steel. The Skywalker uses the Force and both hands to split the flames in two. She is sweating, drops to one knee, uses all her power.

But in the end she does it. She manages to send all the mighty flames sideways. She leaves a sigh of relief, already tired.

And the dragon extends a hand and grabs her by the waist, bringing her to eye level.

The monster licks his lips and she remembers the battle against the Killer Goldfish. Only she is in the opposite role right now.

The dragon starts crushing her to death, and she tries her best to break free using the Force. When she seems she is about to do something, the beast throws her so hard into a wall that it nearly breaks.

Rey uses her saber and stops the next claw swipe. Then she tries a Force Push, but even she can't lift something so heavy. She tries to dodge a tail swipe too, but fails and is launched again. The tail proceeds to wrap her and slam her to the ground repeatedly.

The Jedi starts getting dizzy and the last slam hurts her a lot. She tries to crawl away, but the dragon uses his claws to grab hold of her boots. She removes her boots and manages to escape.

Now she uses the Force to remove an entire column and send it spinning to the dragon. It would certainly wound the ferocious creature if not for his flames, which melt the column.

Rey still has time due to her attack and manages to take cover behind another column which melts too due to the red dragon's fiery breath.

The Jedi sends two chunks of gold, one with her hands and one with her feet, straight at the dragon. Gildiss uses his flames and tail and destroys both chunks, only for a third one to hit him from the side.

He goes for a bite but pulls back before she can hit him. Then he uses his claws to pin her down and play piano using her toes. As she starts getting horrified, he picks her up and rubs her face into a wall violently.

She is now helpless, and the beast holds both of her arms, about to eat her alive.

But then a very powerful rocket hits the dragon's neck, blowing a hole in. It forces the beast to let Rey go. Then a Lightning Spear strikes the dragon in the newly-created hole, knocking him down.

And the Resistance of Milky Way appears! Rey can't help but admire Commander Saber as he charges first, firing his plasma rifle. Gildiss uses his flames, but Saber defends with Ki Blast. The Ki Blast can block even grenades, but not this fire. Saber is durable enough to survive this. Dex appears too, using his assault rifle at the dragon's gold eyes.

As he is blinded, Nicky fires a Silver Bullet that penetrates the hard, red scales of the dragon. Johnny appears too and uses a colossal stone wall to block a massive stream of fire. Then he creates a column and Kitty jumps on it. She has discovered the explosive Dynamite Kick, which she lands at the dragon's jaw, while Roosia and Johnny fire rockets at the beast's hands.

Pan goes next, unleashing an extremely powerful technique. "Stay back!" And he casts Thunderstorm. The yellow barrage of death knocks the red dragon down.

"Are you all ok?"

"Yes! We are good!"

Gildiss struggles to get up, coughing blood. Then he strikes the ceiling, causing rocks to fall from there. They hit Nicky, Roosia and Dex, even though they can still fight. One also goes for Saber, but the Ki Blast blocks it. Saber fires one more rocket with his Devastator, and the dragon flinches. Then Saber uses his Shark Swords, unites them and fires a disc made of water. The dragon attempts to vaporize it with his breath, but it's been weakened due to his injuries and the disc strikes home.

Kitty slides to the beast's belly and with a Megaton Punch pierces it. Finally, Pan uses the partially recovered Sword of Truth to fire a powerful golden beam of sunlight, finishing off the beast.

"Our job is done here, team. I am really proud of you and how you helped each other. Now, next stop is the nightclub of Lily Adams."

Rey has put her boots back. She has mostly recovered from the savage beating.

"WAIT!"

Pan turns to her. "What is it?"

"My name is Rey Skywalker. I am a Chosen One. Thank you for saving me! Can I help you?"

"You helped enough. Don't think I didn't see the dead Golden Moblins who could probably knock some of our squad out by themselves. Thanks for that, Rey."

"No, I mean... I want to be in your team. To punish evil, in a scale as large as you."

Kitty and Nicky, seeing the woman they idolized making the offer, ask for Pan to say yes.

"I am sorry, Rey. I have to politely _decline_ the offer."

Kitty's jaw drops. Why did he do that? Rey is strong and independent.

Rey is surprised. "Why?"

"You are very strong, skilled and a true warrior. But we, the Resistance, we are all friends. I don't really like your attitude, Rey. Your values clash with ours."

"Be a little more clear. What is wrong?"

"The way you treat others is wrong, Rey! I have seen the legends, and I don't want someone in our team who will try to isolate themselves from the rest of their friends, someone who will keep running off from us, not even thinking what could possibly happen to the rest of the team. With or without us, you will still act the same. Only you will now have others to push away because they might steal some of your precious credit.

You will get to the point of using the Force to attack us when we rush to help you, or even Mind Tricking us to not be close to you. And while you treat us like useless burdens without being such, you will start defending our enemies, in spite of how they might treat you, if they decide to appear shirtless before you!

Imagine if we start inspiring slaves to break free and you decide to not contribute to that because you will be busy whitewashing every action of the slaver because he looks good. You will end up giving our enemies more value than us. And one day" he looks at Commander Saber for a bit "we may lose a leader because you decided to attack your allies mid-battle and the leader will sacrifice themselves to stop you from getting killed. I don't want a friend who will treat me like dirt."

"And what if I was not myself?"

"I don't know about that. I assume you were entirely yourself when you insisted on isolating yourself from everyone but your abuser. If you want a chance to be with us, prove you have changed. Prove you are a Skywalker."

"But I am..."

"It depends. If you value color and power before personality, if you throw your friends away for war criminals, you are still a Palpatine. Only when you are no longer like this will you become a true Skywalker."

"But Anakin..."

"Did these and so became Vader. Just in a worse scale than you. I have my doubts, but honestly? You are not evil. When I have proof you got better, when your friends tell me so, I will accept you. Please prove me and my rant wrong."

And the Resistance leaves, but Pan also places two papers on the floor. They have two bounties.

Kitty grabs Pan's shoulder. "You went too far, I think. Calling her a Palpatine? What if the Dyad isn't something she truly had control over? And she is still the Jedi who defeated Sheev for good!"

"She has to prove it. I left behind two bounties. Found them on a wall of this cave, in a secret path. They were updated today. These are the result of her attitude."

"What if you are wrong about her?"

"I can only hope so."

Rey sees the bounties. One is hers, the other is Finn's. She doesn't realize the message Pan wanted to send her about the attitude she was forced to have in Kef Bir and Exegol... until she compared the two bounties.

And, for a small difference of 50 silver coins, _Finn's is bigger._

In a fit of rage, she rips the bounties to shreds.

In the Boar News Tower, Al Astor is not happy. Nessie has been defeated, all of his assassins killed or repelled, and now Leah has become too powerful, while her friends have gained reinforcements. The police now has been dismantled by the government, and now Agents serve as the basic police force. He knows that even the Agents are no match for the rebels, though.

"Vlad! Fang! Come here!"

"Yes, our lord. What is it?"

"Our Agents are proving to be insufficient for the rebels. I want you to upgrade them by turning them into vampires and zombies. This means a lot of blood for you and reinforcements for your kind."

"We will do so immediately."

"Good."

Al then summons ten swordsmen who look exactly the same.

"Stormwolf has become a powerful team. A single warrior is no match for them unless I fight them myself. That's why I trust you... Ten of Swords. You always lead rebel armies to failure and are ten skilled warriors. Finn and Leah managed to break free, but they are still separated from the rest of Stormwolf. I want you to kill the rebel army before they reunite with their founders. Go, and bring that revolution to an unexpected, painful end!"

Everyone bows down at the same time.

"Yes, my lord."

As they leave to execute their mission and some rebel scum, Al uses his cameras in Golden Limestone Cave and manages to learn about Pan, Johnny, Kitty and their friends.

He is about to demonize them for hunting endangered species for sport because they killed the dragon. He also tells a harpy to inform Lily Adams. Or, as he knows her, Lilith.

She will be so, so pleased to learn Pan is coming for her.

"If she is aware of his arrival, she is going to enjoy this a lot..." Al believes Pan getting eaten by Lilith is karma.

[Awaken](https://youtu.be/XUhVCoTsBaM)

Suddenly, the aura in the room changes. And a masked man of middle height, accompanied by bloodthirsty Shadow Beasts, approaches the Archdemon.

Al bows down to the man. "Welcome, o mighty High General! In what do I owe your visit?"

The masked creature crosses his arms. "I prefer 'King of Twilight', or 'Shadow King'. But High General is also pretty good. However, anyone can do flattery.

I am not in a good mood today, Al Astor. The Resistance is rising... they start becoming a genuine threat."

"I am doing my best, I am shaming them in public, I send powerful minions, I actually cause them setbacks. Right now, I sent ten powerful warriors at once."

"That's not enough for the Great One. You let Finn become a Jedi! YOU GOOD FOR NOTHING!"

Al hadn't heard the Shadow King yelling before.

The High General continues. "Both Finn and Leah have got to the point where they pose a genuine threat to us. Their actions will start inspiring people. Imagine their values being appreciated by those humans. They will start rebelling."

"Of course, they can become as reckless as Finn or as cynical as Leah. Don't pretend they have no flaws, High General. They are still very much beatable, and have flaws I exploit to show them as monsters. For starters, they kill many of our officers. This allows me to present them as serial killers by simply showing the victims as innocent civilians."

"They do have flaws indeed. Only the Great One doesn't. However, they are a major threat to our influence. Let me show something, Al."

The High General warps the room into a farm full of corn using his magic. "Do you like this farm, Alastor?"

"Yes. It is beautiful."

"No. It isn't. This doesn't make good food. No. Not at all."

"Since you say it, my lord, it isn't wrong."

"You see, this is a good attitude. Stormwolf was created by people who refused to act like this to their masters. Disgusting idiots, traitors. I am glad you tried to delete whatever you could from their history.

They could be a bigger threat to our power."

The masked warrior and Al go through the corn. The High General puts his hand above all this corn, and finds two ears far taller than the others.

"You know, I was denied once a throne that belonged to me. I swore then to never be called Zant again if I couldn't reclaim it. In the end, I did. How? I turned the chosen successor into a worthless imp.

You see, Al... to stay up..."

Zant draws his two scimitars and slices the two tall corns in half, so they will be forced to be as short as the rest.

"You have to bring others down."

"Especially those who disagree with you and rise too high, I suppose, my lord."

"You are catching on quickly. These two corns are Finn and Leah. The next time I see you, I want to see their heads. Otherwise, I will take yours."

And Alastor, the enemy all of Stormwolf hates and fears, finds out he can feel fear himself.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I might write giantess Finnrey smut, but only if people do want it. For now, think it happened in the dream.
> 
> Rey is powerful, but has limits. Limits mostly because of her attitude. Said attitude made me facepalm in the movie theater and I did want Rey to learn a very cruel lesson.
> 
> Opinions about Al Astor and his return?
> 
> Next chapter will return to our heroes again! Please stay tuned!


	35. Ten Troubles

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Al has sent his last assassin at Stormwolf, hoping to separate them. The fearsome Ten of Swords, instigators of failure and destruction against many uprisings.
> 
> Finn and Leah must reach their friends quickly. But their way is not easy.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Last chapter did not show the dynamic duo at all. For me, it was a nice break. I believe it would be boring if I sidelined everyone but our couple. 
> 
> But if you do miss them, I hope this chapter compensates.

Finn has Little Finn in his pocket, while Emily is hanging on to him. They are all riding Leah because she is faster than the human eye can see.

Leah howls, but Finn can now understand her because he reads her mind with her permission.

"Soon, Leah. I know we are running for a hour, but our friends might be in danger."

Another howl.

"Too heavy? Maybe you feel uncomfortable with your cousin riding you. When I am alone on top of you, you have no problem."

Angry howl.

"What did I say and have to shut up? It makes sense, we are two now."

Even more angry howl.

"Yeah, I know your old pack was fucked up enough."

"May I speak?"

"No need to ask for permission, Emily. I am not her old pack."

"Well, you have not been in a fucking imprint. You won't understand true evil otherwise."

"Being pushed away for a war criminal is a good way to realize the evil of the imprints. Though I admit, you probably know even more than me."

Ten minutes later, they have to stop. Not because Leah is completely tired, it would take ten more minutes, but because Finn saw something in their way, something that the others did not.

"General Leia?"

Leah turns to human form and looks at Finn. "What's wrong? Why did you call me a General all of sudden?"

"Sorry, Leah, but I am speaking to our General, Leia... can't you see her?"

"No. I can sense something, but see nothing."

General Leia greets Finn. "Hello there, Jedi. It seems you managed to become not just a General, but a true Jedi Knight as well. I expected this, to be honest. I trained Poe to be my successor because I knew he was worthy. That's why I was very strict to him. I wanted him to surpass me. To lead the Resistance to victory."

"You succeeded, General."

"I know. I was watching every step of the Battle of Exegol. I am so proud of all of you. And I always knew you had the Force... having it myself, I could sense the signs of the Force in other people.

I was more proud of Poe, for being a leader, and Rey for killing Palpatine and saving my son.

The one who was more proud of you was my brother. Because he saw you sensing the planet-busting weapon's weakness using the Force. Then defeating the elite Sith Troopers like they were fodder. Then blowing the main planet killer up. That moment, I believed you might be worthy to be a Jedi, but Luke was absolutely sure because he started like this.

The reason I am here is that I want to guide you. By becoming a Jedi Knight, nothing is over. In fact, it's only the beginning."

"To guide me? Thank you, Leia."

"You earned it. See, my son knows some things. But he believes he is not worthy to show his face to you or Rey, and you would not trust him."

"Of course not. The Force had to bend backwards for your son to change."

"As it turns out, it was not the Force. It was a dark power behind it. Maybe though it did want balance."

"And why did you not stop it?"

"There were only two ways to stop the Emperor. That, or a Stormtrooper Uprising. The latter was unthinkable. Very hard to change an entire army."

"Yet I did manage to inspire them. I led a squad of rebellious Stormtroopers into the battle, yet history chose to gloss that over because it got in the way of a stupid abusive bond. What happened?"

"We had no time. We were desperate. Palpatine had gone mad, he wanted to kill us all for revenge. Like a spoiled child, he no longer had something and decided to break it for good.

This was the only easy way then... the way the Force showed us. Or so we thought. And don't just look me as a General. I was also a mother. In spite of my son's evil, I always loved him and wanted to save him. This way, we saved both him and the Galaxy."

"Well, I had no such luxury. Of a mother to love me only to die for my crimes!"

"I won't force you to forgive him. I understand you are right to be angry. You will not force me though not to forgive my son. And tell me, have you never done something evil, but justified? How many slaves have you killed to save yourself, your friends or civilians?"

Finn lowers his head. "Too many. I hope they are happier where they went. I hope there is no First Order in the afterlife. And that I redeemed myself with the uprising."

"You did. Don't feel bad, Jedi." Leia strokes his hair in a way a mother would.

"But this is not why I am here. Or it partially is. The power behind the Dyad wants you and your friend destroyed. Leah is her name, right?"

"Yes."

"I love her name. Does she appreciate you for what you are?"

"Yes."

"That's the marking of a true friendship. I sense that they managed to figure your path out. They have sent a force to stop you. Also, they plan to destroy General Poe and his friends before you reach them. As a Force Ghost, I managed to spy on them to help you. You might have managed to cut a metal bar to seven pieces, but you are only a Knight unofficially. If you and Leah manage to save your friends, only then will you be truly ready. Then I will come back to knight you officially."

"Can't wait for the ceremony."

Leah leaves, having warned Finn and his friends about the incoming danger. Prepared, they take a little rest, then they light a campfire.

"Are we going to leave the campfire without cooking anything, Leah?"

"Yes. It's an open plane, no trees to burn. Finn's guardian angel told us enemies are going to attack. A campfire makes us too easy to spot. That's why we are leaving."

"So the fire is..."

"A decoy."

Indeed, ten minutes after they leave, the campfire is still lit. And, out of the blue, multiple Fire Arrows hit around it. Due to Leah's plan, the arrows end up getting wasted.

Bulblins, plump, skilled but savage versions of Goblins, come in pairs on their boar monsters, the Bulbos. On each Bulbo is a driver and an archer with fiery arrows.

"Grrrr... there is nobody here. They tricked us."

"I knew it was too easy."

"We lost precious time."

Due to the grass and time, the Bulblins can't see any footprints either.

One does see some, though, in a muddy place.

However, since everyone was riding Leah again, the rest dismissed him, because they were looking for a human and a werewolf and not a lone animal.

Nevertheless, this means they still passed from here.

Finn and Emily keep riding. General Leia tells the former where Poe and the rest of their friends are.

"Should we stop for a map?"

"No, Finn. You are a Jedi Knight now. This is your final exam. Use the Force, it will lead you to your friends."

Finn does so by Leia's guidance. He manages to sense the signal of Poe, and also notices another signal that shows mild Force Sensitivity.

"This way!"

However, some crows were spying on them. One of them flies to the closest squad of Bulblins and crows that it found Finn and Leah. The Bulblins charge on their Bulbos. In spite of their bulk, Bulbos aren't just extremely strong. They are also fast as a werewolf. However, they are difficult to handle, and only Bulblins tame them easily.

As the Bulblins are chasing after Finn and Leah, Poe and his friends have occupied an abandoned fort, close to the lake they were earlier.

"The Agents are getting replaced with monsters. Took them long enough." Poe observes.

Gray points out something even worse. "I managed to interrogate a Moblin through mind control. He said the zombies are increasing in numbers and competence. The vampires have also been increased in numbers by hundreds in one day. I am afraid they turn their human allies into these monsters."

"I suppose no sane being would give up their humanity. Which means that either they mutate, kill their own without their consent, or that they are very, very fanatic. I hope you are wrong, because this thought alone makes me sick."

"Even if I am wrong, I believe Agents and zombies are used for fodder. That's one of their advantages I do not want us to have. We consider everyone valuable. They have reserves. If we kill ten zombies, the Legion will not care, because they will send one hundred more."

"We are not doing this. I value the life of every single person and only accepted the deaths of tens of my men in D'Qar because we saved thousands that day. Also, this means we always lose less people during most fights, even when we are defeated and have to flee. However, the sad thing is that brave men and even women are dying in every fight. We secured peace in our Galaxy, but as it turns out... there were more for us to save."

Poe has been hardened by the battles. But sometimes, he wants to cry for all the brave people he lost. Paige, Snap, many, many more. Due to those dead, though, the others are now alive and free. He felt bad for the Stormtroopers ripped from their families and forced to kill, the Resistance troopers who fought for their freedom, poor General Leia...

The only one whom he would never feel bad for was Kylo. He invaded Poe's mind and hurt his friends. When Finn left Rey for what she did, Poe always took his side. Unlike Finn, who partially saw the evil influencing Rey's actions, Poe could not see even that because he did not have the Force.

But Force has a sense of justice, and Dameron made a memorial for his beloved General, Paige, Snap, Slip, all the victims of the war. He included the child soldiers and all rebels who lost loved ones and innocence during the struggle with the First and the Final Order, but pointed Kylo's war crimes in public, one by one, and made sure to exclude him.

BB-8 comes rolling towards them. Gray pets him and Poe gives him a hug. "What happened, buddy?"

"BLEEP! BLEEP!"

"What? You sensed enemies coming?"

"Bleep!" BB-8 also shows with his torch from where they are coming.

"Three sides. Ok. We will be ready. Thanks, BB-8!"

The Ten of Swords are coming.

"Should we attack immediately?"

"No. The pawns go first."

Everyone agrees immediately, as one person.

Back to Finn and Leah, the former senses Bulblins with the Force, the latter with smell.

Finn reads Leah's mind. "What did you expect? Them taking a shower every day?"

Leah growls.

"Yeah, I will shut up and shoot."

He feels back to Exegol, where he consciously used the Force for the first time. Now, a Jedi not yet knighted, he is ready to face the enemy more than ever.

"Here they come!"

Finn starts shooting the Bulblins coming at them. Leah nimbly dodges some arrows she can sense without looking, while Finn shoots some in mid-air. Even Emily blocks one with a frying pan.

Even as a Stormtrooper, Finn was a crack shot and here he has to utilize this skill. Without even using the Force he manages to shoot one Bulblin driver right in the face and proceeds to do the same to the archer. A Bulbo gets too close and tries to gore Leah, but Finn shoots that driver too in point blank range. The other Bulblin tries to club the black man, but Emily uses her frying pan and hits the Bulblin, making him dizzy and causing him to fall off the Bulbo.

Finn manages to shoot three more Bulblins dead, but a fiery arrow grazes him, while a couple of raiders with their Bulbo get in front of the heroes.

Leah tells the others to hold on tight. Then she doubles her speed and lunges straight at the Bulblins, biting one of them mortally and just passing through.

"Whoo! That was one hell of a jump!"

Leah's response is translated to "Less shilling, more shooting!"

"Understood." Finn fires his blaster once more, barely missing a Bulblin. An arrow grazes Leah's tail.

Finn realizes he has to use the Force. He does so to guide the next blaster bolt and strikes the next enemy square in the chest, an archer who was preparing an accurate shot. The dark-skinned Jedi senses an arrow from the other side. It's flaming and going straight at him. He uses the Force to stop it and then once more to push the Bulblin who shot off his Bulbo.

"They are too strong! We have to fall back!"

"But the boss?"

"Speaking of boss, they are going straight at the Lynel. It doesn't matter that Finn is now a Jedi, or that Leah is an Alpha faster than the speed of sound. The Lynel can shred even experienced heroes to pieces!"

Meanwhile, Poe's forces are under attack.

As Poe suspected, the Black Legion sent cannon fodder first. The front lines are all pathetic, regular zombies. Having fortified their temporary base, the rebels use these undead for target practice.

Gray can't mind control zombies, but she can still use her Gunblade to shoot them dead. The Nutty Poet creates two walls of ice, delaying many of the undead, and is painting a bazooka, while Poe gets on the walls and throws a detonator. As ten zombies blow up at once, Poe uses the Ultraviolet Beam to pierce two more. Virago is close to the rookies, using her telekinesis to guide their bullets to be more accurate.

"So, what's the plan, General Poe?" she asks. "For us to waste bullets?"

"Exactly. Zombies are the perfect cannon fodder. They can't be controlled and will not flee. They are mindless, some don't even have the animalistic instincts. And they are already dead and easily replaced. Finally, they are a threat if you leave them alone."

But basic zombies are not the whole army. Shriekers join, which attract undead, and of course stronger enemies. The turned Agents join the fight as Zombie Privates and Undead Agents, and even Zombie Security. The last category is actually very dangerous. Their energy shields can effortlessly block all bullets and they can wield a plasma rifle one-handed. In fact, the first rebel falls from a Zombie Security's shot in the shoulder.

However, the former Stormtroopers join the fight! They all wield blasters and are trained by Finn, and manage to hit their targets most of the time. The blasters can slowly weaken and even disable the energy shields of the elite undead. Q also shoots one dead from the side in the head, while the Poet uses her bazooka and the explosions manage to kill these troops instantly, even with the shields up.

Poe uses his blaster and defeats two Zombie Privates. Kallie uses Ice Eggs and freezes some undead. Q uses Spydor Mines and blows enemies up. BB-8 uses his electricity to charge a laser turret, blasting multiple brain-eating beasts.

The Ten of Swords were watching.

"It seems they wasted precious ammunition to handle our meat shields."

"What if Finn and Leah come?"

"A Lynel is sent to stop them. Alastor treats them as serious enemies."

The Ten send the actual army now. About sixteen vampires who used to be Agents, armed with Magnums. Alongside them, multiple lesser demons. Imps, Gaki from Japan, Thralls and Malwraths are coming.

And some Pukers.

"Don't let the Pukers get close!" orders Poe before he fires his Ultraviolet Beam at a vampire. If the vampire Agent did not dodge, he would have been toasted. He shoots back at Dameron and wounds him in the shoulder.

However, BB-8 uses the turret very well and manages to shoot the vampire. The lasers are powerful enough to destroy a TIE Bomber, so two or three shots destroy the bloodsucker before he can kill Poe. However, Poe does manage to beat two more vampires by himself, one with the Ultraviolet Beam and one with a Garlic Bomb directly at the enemy's head.

Then he goes to the ships, giving the beam to Q. He orders the pilots to follow him. Q gets it, but switches to his sniper rifle and shoots a Puker in the head. "Always aim for the head! They will explode otherwise!"

Gray tries and fails to control the mind of a vampire. Then she shoots three zombies dead, but a Malwrath is about to shoot her with a fireball from its mouth. Gray has nothing of this and uses again a Mind Trick. "We are not your enemy."

The Malwrath turns on the rest of the undead and even burns some of them. Gray controls a second Malwrath too. A Thrall charges at the walls, but Kallie freezes it with an Ice Egg. A soldier throws another Ice Egg at a Puker, stunning him and allowing Q to land a headshot. Another Puker gets close to the walls and Q aims at its head.

However a vampire moves at full speed, all but _appears_ between Q and the Puker and takes the bullet, which deals no damage. Then he shoots Q in the stomach, wounding him. One more shot and Q is dead. He uses his Ultraviolet Beam, from which he wants to make a second one now, and burns the bloodsucker.

Nevertheless, the Puker reaches the walls and _explodes!_

The Thralls and Gaki, as well as the regular zombies, rush inside, only to find Embry and Greyfur leading the werewolves. Embry and Greyfur overpower their enemies with no wounds, but one more Puker rushes at them. It would have killed one of them, but Virago uses her telekinesis and throws the zombie at the monsters coming from the breach, blowing _them_ up instead.

Then she draws her Orca Swords and starts slashing at the Thralls. A Gaki lunges to eat her, but Virago cuts it to pieces with the Orca Swords.

Poe and his wingmen soar in the skies, BB-8 covering them with the turret. The spherical droid proves himself unstoppable at fending off monsters, having defeated over thirty lesser demons. The hull of the turret manages to withstand a vampire Agent's bullet, while Poe and his blasters take out two vampires at once. Another vampire is about to punch through an X-Wing, but the pilot rams her at full speed, shredding her to pieces.

Embry grabs the heads of two Thralls and bashes them with each other. Greyfur sees an Imp about to shoot a rebel with a fireball and rushes close, punching through it. But he gets shot by a vampire Agent and the two trade punches.

One of the brainwashed Malwraths falls to a vampire, but Gray herself shoots an Imp dead, while Kallie bashes a zombie with the Spirit Net. The Nutty Poet uses her bazooka and vaporizes two Zombie Security. Then she hits a Puker among many Thralls and Gaki, causing a chain reaction that takes out twenty five enemies. She finally paints and throws a piece of meat among the Gaki, causing infighting among them.

The zombies had broken through the ice walls, with a lot of effort, but she made new. Sadly for her, the Imps have no trouble melting them. The former Stormtroopers perform pretty well, killing even Malwraths. However, one of them is burned alive by an Imp's fireball, while another one is shot and drained by a vampire, and a third one destroys the shield of a Zombie Security but is shot dead by the undead's Plasma Rifle.

The Ten of Swords see that their enemies are weakening. "Time to give them some needed bad luck!"

And they all charge as one person.

Riflemen, who were decimating Zombie Privates and Thralls, shoot at the Ten of Swords. But the swordsmen are too fast and dodge the bullets or even split them to bits and pieces effortlessly.

Back to Finn and Leah, they have covered more than half the distance. However, one last obstacle is in their way. The fearsome Lynel.

A red centaur with a lion's face and mane, the Lynel is one of the most powerful and fierce creatures in the Multiverse. He is too fast and manages to catch up to the Jedi and the werewolf, thrusting forward with the very heavy spear he wields one-handed. Emily blocks with her frying pan, but the spear pierces the pan and nearly her face.

The Lynel reaches them, grabs Emily's throat and throws her away.

Leah turns to face the beast, bares her teeth and charges, while Finn shoots the Lynel five times before drawing his lightsaber to hit him when they get close.

The Lynel doesn't even flinch and charges too. Before Finn can reach and wound the Lynel with his saber, the centaur swings his mighty spear and hits Finn first, so hard that the Jedi is knocked off Leah and on his back. Due to the scar made by Kylo, his back hurts even more.

Enraged, Leah lunges at the Lynel and manages to land a few bites, but the monstrous centaur throws her off. However, the small but extremely fast she-wolf no longer has to carry someone and so she is far faster now. She rolls on the ground and dodges a stab, then throws soil in the monster's eyes.

With the beast stunned, trying to remove the sand, Leah lunges at him again and bites his leg so hard that it bleeds. Finn uses his blaster to wound another leg and succeeds in doing so. Then he uses his strongest Force Push and manages to actually knock the Lynel down.

Then he keeps shooting, knowing this monster is dangerous. But the Lynel gets up and strikes Leah with his spear when she lunges. She throws a stone at the monster's head, but he charges and rams her. Finn did shoot him once more in the meantime, but it did only little damage.

Seeing Leah hurt pisses Finn off. He pushes with the Foce the Lynel away from Leah and then throws his last detonator. He guides it with the Force and it blows up in the beast's face, making it flinch, and then proceeds to unleash blaster bolts at him. At about twenty five blaster bolts the weapon overheats.

"Damn. I have to cool it down now."

Finn did get what he wanted. The injured Lynel now is completely focused on Finn, who waits with his lightsaber, while Leah gets to her human form and runs to see if Emily is fine. Little Finn had jumped out of Finn's pocket and now decides to help, biting the leg Leah had bitten before. This saves Finn's life, as it distracts the Lynel enough for him to get close and this time strike first with his lightsaber. He lands three hits and then jumps backwards. The backflip allows him to dodge the monster's counterattack.

The Jedi uses the Force and sends the nearby stones, all at once, at the centaur. Then he dodges a swing and slashes the side of the monster.

Leah is holding her cousin. "Are you ok?"

"Yes. I can still move. This bastard is very dangerous."

"He is only after us. Please be safe."

"I want to help! I am sick of being a housewife. I am sick of my previous life with Sam."

"Help against someone you might stand a chance... why am I still talking? Finn is in danger!"

Indeed, the Lynel has blocked Finn's last slash and is now _breathing fire_. His flames are far stronger than those of a Lizalfos and Finn can't deflect them with the Force. They hit him and he has to roll in the mud before he gets killed.

The Lynel charges to trample him.

Leah attacks from behind and is about to get on top of the centaur, but the Lynel kicks her with his hind legs, drawing blood. Then he turns to her and breathes fire again. Leah uses her super speed to run from the flames.

Finn sees Leah struggling against the Lynel. He is heavily wounded from the fire and lance of the creature but is still able to fight. How can he help?

Leia's voice is heard, though only to him.

"You have come so far by yourself, being handed nothing. The Lynel is strong, but has a weakness. Use the Force!"

Finn listens to Leia's voice and pinpoints the beast's weakness. His back. But he could get kicked before he can get there... but he is a Jedi. If Rey could jump so high in Kef Bir, then he...

Leah tries to parry the Lynel's spear with her steel pipe, but she gets disarmed and barely dodges a jab on her chest. However, the second one strikes home.

The Lynel takes a deep breath, ready to reduce Leah to cinder. She closes her eyes, knowing she is too wounded to dodge.

A blue lightsaber emerges through the centaur's neck from behind!

Finn used his first Force Leap and managed to get on the back of the centaur. He lands about ten devastating hits, but the heavily wounded Lynel manages to throw him off. The beast is enraged, about to impale Finn on his spear...

Leah also jumps high, having found a boulder, and puts the Lynel under, while Finn pushes him with the Force so he won't dodge.

"This will hold him for a long time! Let's move!"

Meanwhile, the Ten of Swords have entered the fortress and killed more than two people each. One of them cuts a werewolf down to size before the powerful canine can heal. Emby manages to claw the swordsman's face, drawing first blood from the decaplets.

The swordsman grits his teeth and lands a roundhouse kick to Embry's face. Then he lands two quick jabs.

An Imp manages to burn a rebel with a fireball, but Virago kills him easily with the Orca Swords. One of the Ten who uses a more curved blade than the others attacks her with a flurry of slashes that she barely blocks. She only knows how to attack and block with her twin blades, though she does so well. She manages to parry the swordsman and land a riposte. However, he gets up and kicks her before stabbing her in the ribs, making a hole there.

However, when he goes for a decapitating strike, she manages to parry again.

Gray tries to mind control one of the Ten.

He shrugs it off. "Fool. We have a hivemind. Ten minds in one. Stronger than any mind of a single individual!"

Gray fires a bullet from her Gunblade, but the warrior cuts it in half and is about to leap. Gray blocks the strike with her weapon. She proceeds to block five more strikes, however her counter is parried.

The Nutty Poet creates an ice wall that stops the way of some zombies. One of the Ten cuts the wall to pieces and loses precious time... since the Poet fires her bazooka. The swordsman would roll away if he was not busy with the ice wall but now he can do nothing but cut the rocket to pieces. The missile predictably explodes too close to him and shreds his light armor. However, he gets faster now and barely dodges the next shot.

Baikal throws Ice Eggs at a swordsman.

He just takes them, bored. However, his armor is frozen, even though he is not! Q's Drill Blaster wounds the swordsman now. Baikal jumps at the swordsman and performs Seal Slam, a devastating belly flop. The warrior backflips and dodges the attack. Then he charges, but Kallie avoids the strike and uses the Spirit Net to cover his head. Then she knees her opponent between the legs.

He leaves a battlecry and slashes her across the belly. She is wounded heavily. She has only one choice. Run away.

"I am not allowing cowards to live! Get back here, rebel scum!"

Meanwhile, another of the Ten jumps sky high and manages to dodge the blasters of an X-Wing and cut both of its left wings, sending it crashing into the ground. One more dodges BB-8's turret, reaches and destroys it with his sword. However, BB-8 tazes the warrior and stuns him enough to ram him out of the wall with a roll.

Poe dodges a slash of one of the Ten and fires Proton Torpedoes. The swordsman barely dodges and fires a blade from his sword. It grazes Dameron's ship.

The swordsman fighting the Poet has trapped her in Limbo and summoned Soul Kissers. They are too many and charging at her. The bazooka will not help here, so she surrounds herself with ice walls and paints an LMG on the ground. When she manages to fully draw and equip it, she only has two seconds before they get through. In these she loads her gun and then opens fire like she has seen Takara again.

"FIRE FIRE FIRE BULLET BULLET BULLET!" She barely holds herself from laughing like a maniac.

During the weeks between Takara's downfall and the massive attack of the Yokai and vampires, she gained a newfound hatred for Sues and demons, because her sister had stumbled upon a very fucked up Sue. The Poet's sister was so pissed at the Sue's nonsense that she turned into a unique female Yokai, slaughtered the Sue and then went rampant.

The Poet, learning about that, left Stormwolf for four days to confront and save her sister from herself alone. Even though the Poet got beaten to near-death in their first confrontation, she managed to revert her sister to normal in the second one by painting drawings with their memories and talking to her after restraining her with painted chains.

Remembering how she nearly lost her sister to demonization, she unleashes her full wrath at the Soul Kissers, unloading magazine after magazine and killing all of them, some in point blank range. But the enemy chieftain cuts and blocks every shot easily. The Poet attacks with the gun butt, but the enemy blocks it effortlessly and kicks her.

"No, I have to paint something else..."

A katana? No, he has a magical sword, Western style. He will probably break it. First, she needs time. She creates an ice wall right under the swordsman and sends him flying backwards. Then she draws a whip and a pistol.

The swordsman uses a blade projectile to cut through the ice wall and it also grazes the Poet. The two charge and the Nutty Poet wraps her whip around the enemy's right arm, disarming him. Then she uses the pistol for a successful, lethal headshot.

Elsewhere, Virago loses her right sword by her opponent and gets kicked backwards. Being right-handed, Virago struggles to fight with her off-hand, only defending, never attacking.

She also gets a jab in the left arm and is forced into a blade lock. One she is losing. However, Virago doesn't have just the Orca Swords. With telekinesis she summons the other blade in her hand and guts the enemy swordsman.

Two down, eight to go. One more enemy attacks Virago with a blade projectile and grazes her. Meanwhile, Gray is in trouble, because even her Gunblade is not enough for her adversary. She gets disarmed and wounded.

However, the remaining Malwrath she brainwashed attacks the enemy swordsman and attacks from behind, wounding him. The Malwrath casts a fireball at the swordsman, but he cuts the fireball with a slash due to causing a gust of wind and them stabs the demon through the eye. But Gray uses her Gunblade and shoots her adversary in the back before kicking him out of the wall. Then she controls five Imps to shoot the swordsman, who dives at them and slaughters them all with ease. He throws a blade at the walls, breaching them, but Gray follows him, goes for a thrust attack... and is blocked. However, she anticipated it and shoots the swordsman in the stomach, stunning him. She finishes him off with a stab.

Q tries to hit one of the swordsmen with his sniper rifle, but he manages to dodge or even chop all shots to pieces and figure out where he is. He lunges there, but Q dodges and fires from his prosthetic hand, where he had a gun for close range. This surprises the enemy swordsman.

Embry is on the ground and his enemy is about to stab his throat. However, Greyfur charges and strikes the enemy using a Gaki as a club. He keeps battering the monster until the member of the Ten slices the Yokai to bits and pieces. However, Embry and Greyfur gang up on him.

Close to a small lake, Baikal is cornered by her adversary. She decides to jump into the lake.

"You can't dive for too much! You can't hide, woman. Not from me."

And he follows her, knowing he won't drown because his armor was broken.

**Big mistake.**

Because Kallie is far more powerful underwater. She becomes extremely fast and lands punches and strikes with the Spirit Net, too fast for the loyalist to block them all.

He can still fire a projectile of his blade through water and he would have cut her in half if she didn't swim at full speed to the left. Now she has the advantage and fires an Ice Egg, slowing down the enemy assassin. She proceeds to strike him with Seal Spin. Then she lands rapid punches to him underwater.

He tries to swim back to the surface. He can breathe a hour underwater, but he still needs to gain the advantage. However, Baikal uses Seal Spins to propel herself forward and manages to catch him and drive him straight to the bottom.

Poe fires his blasters at another enemy, but he jumps high and right on his cockpit. One thrust will mean Poe's death. So he does the all-powerful move, Barrel Roll, and manages to throw his enemy overboard by doing it twice. Then he fires proton torpedoes and blasts the area on the enemy's sides with lasers, as well as some remaining zombies. The torpedoes blow the demon up.

Q is being strangled by another swordsman, the one he had shot in close range. However, BB-8 saves his life by electrocuting the enemy. Q breaks free and punches the assassin, while BB-8 finishes him off with his torch. However, one more swordsman, the one earlier stunned by BB-8, jumps there and damages the droid with a slash. This is too much for Q, who lands a headshot with the Drill Blaster.

_Eight down, two to go._

[What did I miss](https://youtu.be/vrnovNWC1f4)

Fifteen minutes later, Finn and Leah, along with Emily and Little Finn, manage to pinpoint the fortress of their allies. 

And they find them getting rounded up by the two remaining Ten of Swords and many Imps. Everyone, even Q and Poe, are wounded. 

The grueling duels with the eight swordsmen the rebels killed left them exhausted and injured. They were no longer in a shape to fight the remaining two warriors. Finn and Leah have to finish the job.

Leah has almost fully healed, but Finn only a little. 

Clearwater attacks the guards around her friends in wolf form, biting some to death. Six Malwraths shoot fireballs at her, while one of the Ten charges with his sword. Leah performs the Seven-Sided Strike and kills all the Malwraths, but the swordsman survives in spite of his new injury and performs a flurry of slashes. Leah uses her super speed and manages to get behind him.

Then she dashes at him, but he spins at the right time and hits her. 

Meanwhile, Finn uses the Force to send rocks at some Imps and toss Gaki around like ragdolls, while he also shoots a Malwrath with his blaster directly into the eye. Three Thralls reach him, but he, in spite of his injuries, manages to cut down all of them quickly. Then he attacks the last enemy swordsman. 

However, the assassin blocks the strike with his blade. "You are probably wondering how the lightsaber did not cut through. Well, these blades are magical and can resist lightsabers."

"Let's see if your hide is saberproof too." Finn replies and attacks again. The swordsman blocks that too and retaliates with three fast strikes. Finn manages to stop all of them with some effort. Even with these injuries, he can push through.

Leah is in her human form and uses her super speed to block and dodge the enemy's attacks. In the end, she catches his blade with her bare hand, though this makes her hand bleed. She grits her teeth, pushes through the immense pain... and gives the swordsman a kick with her knee. Then she punches a hole in his armor with her good hand. But she has to recover because of her risky move and the enemy manages to land three rapid jabs at her.

She hops backwards to recover. He starts chasing her. However, Emily throws a stone at the warrior. He cuts it in three pieces, but Emily has gathered some more. The member of the Ten cuts off all the rocks easily, effortlessly. Then he charges at Emily, but Leah dashes faster than the human eye can see and tackles him. As her other hand is almost healed, Leah uses it to punch the ground and make the enemy lose his balance. Then she kills him with a quick stake.

Three rounds have passed and Finn gets another wound, a jab in the shoulder. His saber locks with the enemy's blade and he seems to be losing the struggle due to all those injuries against the Lynel.

He closes his eyes and trusts the Force. This time, he hopes it helps him. "Be with me. Someone. Anyone."

Leia answers his call, lends him her strength. He fought well against the Lynel and she wants to ease his struggle as a result. 

Finn immediately finds the strength to push the enemy swordsman back and cut his head off. 

"Looks like we missed most of the show. Did you miss us?" Leah asks Poe and the others.

"You have no idea."

They all see Finn kneeling. Most of Stormwolf has no idea why.

In reality, General Leia's Force Ghost is in front of the Jedi. "I helped you because you wanted to fight to protect your friends, in spite of your heavy injuries. You proved yourself worthy, to have a spirit of a true Jedi.

Congratulations, Finn. You are a Jedi Knight."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Let's be honest, Leah and Finn were wasted. The former deserved someone to support her, her own cousin her ex abused, at least, while Finn deserved someone who would help him become a Big Deal and a Jedi. (Rose was far more trouble than worth, but she did save his life, unfortunately for the Final Order)
> 
> The idea of the Poet's sister as a Yokai is inspired by a badfic which caused the sister of the real person behind the Poet to get really, really pissed off. Will write the story if I get request to do so.
> 
> Every hero has a duel here! Favorite one?


	36. Boar Hunt

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Stormwolf prepares for their biggest raid in their short history. The outcome can change the world.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Preparing for the final showdown! Are you excited?

Five days have passed since the defeat of the Ten of Swords. Stormwolf was now a name that caused fear to the low-ranking soldiers of the Black Legion.

Q is in his first solo mission since he joined Stormwolf. It's one requiring stealth and does not involve the supernatural at all.

It is to kill three human traffickers and gather their heads. He heard the guards were also slaves forced at gunpoint to watch out for the rest, so he had to avoid killing _them_.

So far, he has sniped a slaver that was forcing a woman to cook for him through the window. He also found another slaver alone in a cabin, gloating about how the Black Legion does not bat an eye because they believe all humans deserve to be enslaved, and how he can escape the wrath of the public by being white and focusing on his future. Q found the door open, snuck behind him, cloaked, and broke the man's neck. The sniper had found a kitchen knife in the kitchen and used it to severe the heads.

Now he is still cloaked and looking for the third guard.

Some guards can hear his steps though and are close to spot him. Q has more gadgets in his sleeve.

Twenty seconds later, the sniper is shot by four guards at once. However, bullets pass through him.

Unfortunately for the guards, they shot a decoy, while the real Q is in the third trafficker's farm. The trafficker forces black and indigenous people to work harder for his crops.

"The eight ones with the least productivity today will get sold, as you know... and the vampires need their human toys. And my brothers and I need the money... vampires see cash as given and can spend a fortune in one slave."

"Good" Q thinks. "I will feel no remorse about this. God forgive me... I am going to sin."

His sniper rifle has the silencer. Q uses his scope. "No, I need the head... he probably has no heart... that's it. The lungs."

He fires a bullet and it pierces the slaver's lung. The trafficker collapses dead in agony.

"You and your brothers deserved worse. Let's collect the head and get the fuck out of here."

Half an hour later, Q has returned in triumph, carrying all three heads. Now Stormwolf, in one of their most cruel acts, put the heads in one pole each in Leah's orders. Then Clearwater makes a speech.

"It's time to stop being nice guys. Tell me, do you like being belittled by others for no reason? Do you like women being brainwashed into thinking only about people who abuse, who hurt them? Do you like humans being seen as worthless? As nothing more than animals? Do you like being judged because of sexuality, gender or, even more stupid, skin color?

These slavers were just a warning to those doing human trafficking and believe they are above the law. Some corrupt cops will kill a black person for paying with fake money, and we are the villains for putting down traffickers?

But we are not going to stick to slavers. The Black Legion is still our primary enemy, and we did manage to give them setbacks. However, they are still really strong. They enslaved and killed our loved ones with no provocation. My dear cousin, Emily, has her scars because of the demons' black magic.

They took everything from us. Now it's time..."

Finn gives his friend a smile.

"... to bring the battle to them!"

The entire Stormwolf Force applauds.

Organizing their army, they prepare for their next mission. One where they might end up all dead, but victory will be worth the risk.

_They are going to raid the Boar News Tower._

A little after Leah's speech, Al Astor is on the news again, demonizing Stormwolf for killing three innocent people just because they did their jobs.

"And as the vile terrorists they are, Stormwolf did things that aren't different from what the ancient barbarians, the Celts, did. Just because they were unrepetant of the murders they did, they showed the heads of the victims on poles and bragged about their new collection.

You understand, people of Earth, that Stormwolf are not heroes. They are barbarians who will enjoy slaughtering innocent humans and leads other decent citizens in hunger. Don't move from your houses, they are everywhere and their next victim could be **you!** "

Because there is only one channel and only Al has a news network, many believe him. However, the intended message was passed to some people. The vampiric clients, what was left of them after the massacre at Forks, and all slavers watching the news all but soil themselves in horror. People who had loved ones taken by traffickers also wholeheartedly support Stormwolf now.

Of course Al had made sure to cut a sign that said "This is what happens to traffickers". However, some of the rebels do show the heads as well as the sign for more accuracy.

Having two conflicting sources makes people more skeptical. Most still believe Al, because they are more used to him and his word can spread further.

One hour later, in Washington DC, Stormwolf has arrived. All members know they are probably going to their deaths. They are going to save the world or die trying and take a lot of demons with them.

They make a stop at the Jefferson Memorial. Virago tells them about how he wanted to help the French revolution.

"Thomas would never bow down to a tyrant. I hope his spirit watches us. And realizes we are doing what's right."

Leah snorts. "I do not like those who made this country and pretend they are a symbol of liberty. The settlers built their country in the blood of natives. In fact, we got killed and driven out of our homes and stereotyped. But we were sure taught civilization."

"I know" Gray responds. "But it's time for us to inspire people. All the unsung heroes united."

"Are you sure we will? Even after defeating Al Astor, Gray, and tell them the truth, do you think they will not hate on us? For being women, black, Asian, Natives, led by a Latino, founded by people of color? Even with Q by our side, part of the public will refuse to aknowledge us because they need their savior to be white."

"Not all people are like this, Leah." Q responds. "This is why we are so willing to defend them. You are right to be pissed at the racism you have endured. History even tried to paint you as bad due to it. But, even though the Corruption is spread everywhere, and it will not completely leave even if we beat the Legion, most people are worth saving. Let's help them as much as we can."

"To be honest" the Poet comments "I expected the tower to be in New York City with the other skyscrapers. It would not stick out like a sore thumb like in here."

"Well" Leah, who has already been there, responds "maybe they want to be close to the White House. Close to the government to control it better. Let's be cautious. There is an elevator, but they will cut the power with people inside if they spot us. It also reaches only the first one hundred floors.

The other fifty are sealed, unreachable for mere humans."

"We can blow up the building with our ships" one of Poe's wingmen proposes.

"No." Poe replies. "Do you want us to look like terrorists? Or terrorists to look like us?"

Everyone responds with a no.

As they all stand directly in the entrance of the Boar News Tower, Leah approaches Finn and seizes him in a hug.

"I have been here before. And I know this is not easy. This might be the last mission we see each other. All I have to say is that I thank you, Finn. You were ready to die for me, without knowing who I am. You appreciated me for what I was."

"And you, Leah. In spite of you being a werewolf... I have seen few people with more humanity than you. Thank you too, for being so nice to me."

"Can you promise me something?"

"Yes?"

"If I die... you can run or avenge me. But I want you to promise me... that you will live. When everyone treated me like garbage, you fought by my side without expecting anything. You deserve to live. And you deserve to live happily. This is all I want from you. Do not die. Promise?"

Finn is willing to give his life for this woman. The one who in spite of getting belittled by her family stood up for herself. This dashing, powerful, wonderful girl who always made him feel loved.

However, he sighs. "I promise. I will live."

And they embrace each other, neither wanting to let go. They found in each other family, purpose.

_Love._

And, holding hands, they get inside the tower. Ready for the final showdown.

Poe calls for a transport ship. "Check for any terraces in the building. We are going to lend our friends a hand."

"Affirmative!"

Two Bouncers with big, muscular arms stand in the way of Finn and Leah. "You are not welcome here, punks! I should show you the exit."

Gray stands behind the founders of Stormwolf. She uses a Mind Trick.

"We are the new employees. Please let us pass."

The Bouncers go out of the way. The rebels advance on the tower and climb the stairs. On top of the stairs is an ape who throws barrels to stop them. Finn uses the Force to slow them down and his blaster to destroy them. After he destroys three barrels, the Jedi and the ape see each other face to face.

The ape throws another barrel, but Finn rips it apart with his blaster and kills the primate in five shots. On the second floor, Finn, Leah and Little Finn, as well as BB-8, Virago, Gray and Kallie confront multiple S.W.A.T. Thugs. Gray persuades two to leave and uses her Gunblade to shoot three more dead.

Virago uses her Orca Swords better than against the Ten, even cutting a bullet in half before she blocks a nightstick and cuts through it. Then she defeats another S.W.A.T. Thug before he can axe her to death. With a double slash she defeats two more goons.

BB-8 rolls and avoids a round of bullets. Then he rams and torches a S.W.A.T. Thug. He tries to toss coins at one more, like he did on the guards of Canto Bight, but he simply blocks them all with his shield and then charges with his axe... only to be tazed for ten seconds.

Leah turns into her wolf form and performs the Seven-Sided Strike, knocking out seven S.W.A.T. Thugs. Kallie swings her net and also defeats a guard, but another throws a grenade at her. She catches it and tosses it back, blowing him up.

Finn launches an enemy upwards with his saber and cuts him in half in mid-air. Then he shoots another enemy unconscious.

After the last guard is defeated, there are two keys to open the next door. One is hidden in a very small hole and the other is too high. Little Finn enters the hole and gets the first key, while Virago uses her telekinesis to grab the second one.

Then they unlock the door and go to the third floor.

Finn gets a message from Poe Dameron.

"The sky is clear in the fifth floor! It also has a terrace. Meet me there, I have a transport."

The third floor is full of innocent workers. Finn uses the Force to sense the messages around them.

BELIEVE WHAT YOU ARE TOLD

IF A VIRUS IS PRESENT, IGNORE IT

ECONOMY IS WORTH MORE THAN HUMAN LIVES

DON'T PUT YOURSELVES IN A POSITION THAT ANNOYS YOU AND HELPS ONLY OTHERS

RAPE IS THE GREATEST EVIL

"The last one is true" Finn remarks in his head.

To his surprise, the messages in the walls actually respond, just like they did with Rey.

THE WAY OF THE DARK IS TO RISE ON TOP OF OTHERS. RAPE IS POINTLESS AND TOO CRUEL.

"Wait, how..."

YOU ARE ALMOST IN OUR TERRITORY

AND WE KNOW YOUR EVERY MOVE

DON'T THINK WE ARE ALLIES BECAUSE YOU HAVE SOME DIGNITY LIKE US

"Likewise."

Virago is staying behind, praying to God they will succeed. But she also thinks something else.

"Please, get my signal... He is here, in the Boar News Tower... in Washington DC. Please, get my message..."

Finn would have realized this, but was distracted with the sublimal messages.

The room closest to the stairs is empty and dark. When the rebels set foot in, an Oranghost appears. It's an actual ghost, and blaster bolts pass through it, as do punches and bullets.

The ghost activates a switch in the room and everyone but Kallie barely manages to run away, as mustard gas fills the room. Kallie can hold her breath underwater for two hours. So she can do the same with toxic gas.

Holding her breath, she goes for the switch to deactivate it. But the ghost attacks her.

The power of the Spirit Net lies in the fact that it can damage ghosts. A single swing is enough for the Oranghost to be captured and defeated. Two more Oranghosts come at Kallie, but she strikes one of them. The second one punches her in the face, but she manages to strike that one too.

The white woman runs towards the switch, but she gets ambushed and grabbed by another ghost. The light purple Ceiling Surprise. Its name also points out from where it shows up. Kallie loses some time, but manages to break free, defeat this ghost too and get to the switch, which she deactivates.

Then they can all advance.

But, after they climb more stairs, they have to confront zombie Agents. They feel little to no pain and can still shoot. But they can still falter to bullets. And blaster bolts. Finn manages to shoot a zombie mortally in the head, while Gray shoots another in the chest.

It gets worse. A Dinolfos comes from the stairs below, a sword in each hand. Virago draws the Orca Swords. "This one is mine! Keep going!"

Then she charges with a battlecry and unleashes many slashes, but the Dinolfos blocks them all.

The old lizardman retaliates with two fast sword slashes, which are blocked, and a tail swipe which isn't. Before Virago can get up, the Dinolfos charges again for a shoulderbash and strikes her again, knocking her down once more.

Meanwhile, Finn, who had replaced his detonators, throws one in the middle of the enemies, blowing five of them up. However, three more Agents emerge, smashing through a wall. All three are vampires.

Finn still shoots them with his blaster, knowing it at least does some damage. And makes sure they flinch and don't shoot _him._ Leah dashes at the first Agent fast and punches him in the face. Then she disarms him, but gets kneed in the stomach and her head slammed into the ground.

Finn shoots the Agent with his blaster, stunning him for five seconds. Leah only needed two to recover and decapitate him with a karate chop. Finn uses his lightsaber and cuts off the entire right arm of the second vampire. Then he uses the Force to sense and duck a very fast punch. He pushes the vampire down and Leah stakes him.

The third Agent fires a bullet, but Leah catches it with her hand and Finn fires his blaster to disarm and wound the vampire. Leah dashes at full speed and stakes him.

Meanwhile, Virago parries both swords of the Dinolfos with her own and manages to push him back, leaving him open for attack. He takes a deep breath to send fire from his mouth, but Virago kicks him before he can do so.

Gray asks if she needs help.

"No. This is my fight."

And she stays back to duel with the elite monster. The Dinolfos jumps back and shoots a fireball from his mouth. Virago dodges the attack, but the Dinolfos is too agile and jumps in front of her. He manages to slash her in the arm, drawing blood.

Then he charges again and knocks her down with a body bash. Virago gets away before the Dinolfos can finish her off by slamming the ground and causing a fiery shockwave. Then she uses telekinesis and sends the reptilian flying into a wall.

She throws him again in another wall, and then sends him right into the ceiling. Then, as he gets down, she dashes at full speed and is about to land the final blow... but he parries it. She seems to be pushing him back... but he breathes fire in point blank range!

Virago is severely wounded by the powerful stream. But the Orca Swords... she heard legends about them being like the legendary Shark Swords, but even stronger, though slower.

She tries to unite the Orca Swords with her willpower. She struggles to do so and has to dodge three quick enemy strikes.

"Will train in that later."

She throws an Orca Sword and uses telekinesis to make sure it does not miss. It perforates the Dinolfos, finally killing him.

Then she sees the others have left. Good.

She sends a message to someone.

"Hello there. It's me, Virago. I am with Stormwolf now. Finn is in Washington. In the Boar News Tower.

Yeah, I can handle myself. Don't worry. I just beat a powerful enemy.

Happy to hear you are proud of me. Goodbye!"

The others are in the fifth floor where they meet no resistance and get in the terrace.

"We have to wait for Virago."

"Indeed."

They do so and, four minutes later, she comes wounded, but smiling.

"I beat that old reptilian."

"Nice. That was a Dinolfos. They, the Silver Moblins and the Elite Stygians are rookie killers."

"We took on vampiric Agents... I told Poe, good thing he listened. Sadly, my gunblade can't kill these corpses, unlike the zombies."

"Thank the Force the lightsaber works the way it works and can cut through vampires like butter. Otherwise, Leah could handle these guys herself, but being completely dependent on her is not my fighting style."

They all get in the transport.

"By the way" Virago asks "are you and Leah... a thing?"

"We might be. She is an awesome woman."

"And what about Rey?"

Finn flinches just hearing the name.

"She did not treat me well. So I left her."

"But what if she wants you back?"

"She can come and get me. I am not going to chase after her only for her to physically attack me again."

"It's not her fault. And not yours, either. It's Kylo's. He was always in her mind, haunting her dreams. Telling her only he truly understands her."

"And she had a lot of proof otherwise she chose to turn her back to. She pushed me away, not the other way round."

Poe interrupts by telling them they reached the last accessible floor. Finn and Leah lead werewolves and former Stormtroopers. Virago and Gray have to stay inside because they got injuries.

On the hundredth floor, right before the rift between Earth and Limbo, Q gives his friends his latest inventions. Finn gets a Microwave Beam, which Q describes as the perfect creation of his. Leah gets ten Garlic Bombs for vampires. Emily also gives both three healing herbs each, herbs she made herself.

Kallie gets a speargun.

"We will send reinforcements" Q promises. "When they are ready."

The only obstacle between the rebels and Limbo is a Pike. They all take cover and avoid the shots of his minigun, and when the Pike reloads, Finn fires the Micorwave Beam.

A thick blue ray comes from the evolved blaster and strikes the Pike, obliterating it.

Then they all enter the rift.

And Finn and Leah find their hands entangled with each other. And are in front of a television.

Which opens by itself. And Al Astor's face appears on the screen.

"I have been expecting you two, _terrorists._ "

Finn and Leah stare defiantly on the screen.

Al Astor keeps talking. "What do you want here, vile, nauseating criminals?"

"Hello there, Al." Finn responds. "We are here to chew bubblegum and lay some pipe."

"And we are all out of bubblegum." Leah finishes the sentence.

This sends Al into ranting. "My personal view on the terrorists is that they are sleazy, sexists, treat women as trophies, hate true love because they weren't and never will be loved, they are also rude and jealous of the successes of others."

"Oh my, Leah, it seems we triggered him."

"Finally, these two are extremely nauseating and blasphemous."

Leah draws her steel pipe. "Why? For wanting to lay this? Right on the heads of some demons?"

"Oh, you can try, Miss Clearwater. Like you tried the first time you came here. Perhaps you would like to get another beating, this time with your boyfriend?"

"A lot has changed since the last time. You no longer have the element of surprise with your true form."

"I do not care. In terms of brute strength, you will need fifty years of practice to even match me, werewolf. And it's a battle of a respected member of the government against two self-righteous traitors nobody likes. You two will always be outcasts for what you were."

"I don't care either" Finn replies. "We will still expose you and the other Archdemons."

"And who will believe you? The public will complain, be filled with hate for their alleged savior being black. They will not get behind a black Stormtrooper, especially not a black Jedi. How do you think humans are kept oppressed? Because instead of fighting against us or their own malice, they wasted time hating on people because of their color!

And you, Leah, will be sexualized at best for being a native American. And you are also opposing the carriers of our will in humanity. People will see you as a bitch. Some don't want a woman to act like a man.

A lot of people already hate and blame you two for Cairo. Or for what you did to Nessie."

"We didn't even kill her!"

"Too bad, you little shits. Because you are not having another chance!"

And the screen vanishes, while Finn senses some messages.

YOU ARE SURROUNDED

NO MERCY

ENJOY YOUR LAST BATTLE

And suddenly black ooze emerges around them.

Finn, Leah, Kallie, the werewolves and the former Stormtroopers are all ready.

"This is it." Finn tells the troops. "These are our enemies. Today, we either defeat a tyrant or die trying!"

"Probably die trying."

"Probably not, soldier!"

The rebel squad is surrounded by multiple Stygians.

"Rise!" Finn shouts.

"Resist!" Leah raises her own voice.

"REVOLUTION!!!" everyone yells simultaneously.

The former Stormtroopers fire their blasters as one person, while the werewolves charge at full speed. Kallie fires her speargun and impales a Lesser Stygian, while Embry punches through one more.

The regular Stygians are tougher. A werewolf claws one three times, but the Stygian lives and swings his razorblade, making a deep cut in the wolf's torso. Leah leaps between three Stygians and punches the ground, knocking all of them out with a shockwave.

Finn makes one last speech in the middle of the fight.

[Justice](https://youtu.be/FxBwjV961Y0)

"The history of the world was always written by the powerful..."

He shoots a Stygian five times dead.

"... I dream of a new world! One where the weak can stand up for themselves! One where power is not the ultimate goal..."

He slashes two more enemies with his lightsaber.

"But it will be used to defend those unable to defend themselves!"

Seeing one of his men about to be stabbed, he Force Pushes the enemy away and saves his soldier.

"It will smite evil!"

He draws the Microwave Beam and vaporizes an Elite Stygian.

"It will serve JUSTICE!"

And with that he uses the Force and sends seven Stygians flying backwards.

Meanwhile, Leah swings her pipe and breaks the porcelain face of a Stygian. Another one attacks, but Leah strikes with a barrage of kicks too fast for it to see. Then she lands a lot of jabs with her stake at the third enemy coming.

An Elite Stygian enters the fight and attacks her. He uses his twin swords and blocks multiple pipe strikes. Leah manages to kick him in the ribs, but he retaliates with a sword slash that gets Leah's torso. Then he hits her with the other sword and finally with both.

But Leah knows how to combine her abilities. She punches the ground making a small tremor. As the enemy struggles to keep his balance, Leah lands a barrage of punches.

"ORA ORA ORA ORA ORA ORA ORA ORA!"

She finishes off the demon with a heavy uppercut.

Greyfur bashes five Lesser Stygians. A Stygian slashes at him, but the werewolf dodges and punches it so hard it draws black ooze. Another Stygian cuts off the hand of a werewolf. The wolf throws it with his remaining hand straight at three former Stormtroopers, who use their blasters and shred the demon to bits.

A former Stormtrooper has his scull split in two, but Finn spots the Stygian who did this and dashes at it very fast. The Stygian dashes at him too, but it gets its head cut off.

An Elite Stygian rushes at him and slashes the ground, creating a wave of black ooze. Finn jumps over the attack and shoots with his blaster in mid-air. However, the demon blocks the shot and crosses his swords with Finn's lightsaber.

Finn blocks all the enemy attacks, but can't break the enemy's guard. In the end, his lightsaber locks with the two swords of the Elite Stygian. The Jedi is overpowering his enemy, but reads his mind and sees that he will do the off-hand stab that can win blade locks when using two swords. So he breaks the lock, rolls to the right of the Stygian and slashes him in the back. The Elite Stygian turns, but Finn slashes him four more times until he is blocked.

The Stygian manages to kick him and push him back. Then he jumps and attacks with his left sword. Finn parries it, but gets nicked in the soulder. He kicks the Stygian, Force Pushes him backwards and fires his blaster three times. He uses the Force to make two of them strike from the sides and all three hit simultaneously.

As the Elite Stygian lands, Finn dashes at full speed and attacks with a flurry of slashes. He ends up cutting the demon down to size.

Embry bites a demon's head off, while the last one falls to blaster bolts of two former Stormtroopers.

The first wave is down. Far more to go.

As they climb the floor, the rebels encounter Cacodemons, who are red one-eyed menaces, and Oni-Bi. Leah uses the Seven-Sided Strike in wolf form to defeat six Oni-Bi and a Cacodemon. Then she changes to human form and stakes another Oni-Bi.

An Oni-Bi nimbly dodges four shots from a former Stormtrooper and wounds him with a little fireball. Kallie defeats it with her Ice Eggs and beats two more with the Spirit Net.

Finn fights a Cacodemon and discovers his lightsaber can deflect the demon's blue electromagnetic spheres, but only when he times his swings right. He deflects at least five spheres, but misses his timing once and gets electrocuted. The fiend goes to bite him, but Finn recovers, slashes it five times and stabs it in its only eye with his lightsaber.

Then he senses another such fiend attacking from behind with a sphere. He swings at the right time and almost reflects it. Nobody gets hurt. Finn draws his blaster and hits the demon's eye and mouth six times. It leaves a screech of pain and fury and fires electromagnetic spheres wildly, but Finn dodges them or uses the Force and reaches the beast, stabbing it through the mouth.

Kallie sees Greyfur struggling with three Oni-Bi and rushes to help. She defeats one with the spirit net, but gets hit by a small fireball. She retaliates with Ice Eggs and puts the second one down. But she barely dodges two quick snowballs. The last Oni-Bi tries to bite her, but she uses the Spirit Net once more to great effect!

However, another Oni-Bi spits a small ball of electricity. Kallie's powers are mostly based on fighting underwater, where she is the most adjusted. So this ball could kill her. She doesn't see or sense it and can only hear it.

A werewolf dashes faster than the human eye can see and takes the hit. Then he charges at the Oni-Bi in spite of his injury and defeats it with his claws. Kallie uses her speargun to impale two Oni-Bi at once.

Leah is in human form, clobbers a poison Oni-Bi with her steel pipe and dodges the electromagnetic spheres of a Cacodemon. She jumps and lands a flying kick at the red demon's face, sending it flying into the ground.

She dashes for a punch, but the Cacodemon fires another electric ball and strikes her directly. She is about to get up, but the one-eyed creature floats close to her and opens its mouth to eat her. She uses all her strength to keep the mouth open with her hands.

"You might be a fearsome demon, but I am not just a werewolf, not just a vampire hunter!"

She starts opening its mouth more and more.

"I AM... LEAH... CLEARWATER!"

And she rips the jaws of the beast off!

Then she draws her wooden stake and shoves it into the demon's single eye.

When Kallie spears the last Oni-Bi, they all get on the next floor.

Where they get in red corridors and fight some Karakasa before they see a place with trophies. Cups, medals, heads.

There are two shields waiting for a head.

Right under, it's written "TRAITOR" and "BITTER HARPY".

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Next chapter starts the main part of the final battle. 
> 
> Do you like Q's initial mission? 
> 
> How about the speeches? 
> 
> Virago does play a role here. I hope you liked her. Is she or Finn right about Rey?
> 
> Opinions about the dialogue with Al Astor? And the two warm-up (yes) battles afterward?


	37. The Dark Ascent

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Inside the Boar News Tower, Stormwolf is now even stronger than in their first raid. However, the defenses are also even more dangerous...

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This is it! The start of the final battle! 
> 
> (Actually, it was the previous chapter, but now it's where it really hits the fan!)
> 
> Hope you enjoy, your happiness is mine too!

[Hideout Helm](https://youtu.be/Ulc4j8W_DqE)

Finn and Leah see the places where their heads are going to be used as trophies.

"Leah, they must really, really hate us two."

"Well, nothing new for me!"

"Let's make sure these things stay empty!"

Finn and Leah with Kallie and their elite troops confront new and old enemies. The new enemies are the Monovision, droids that looks like old televisions, CR-T, but with powerful machine guns. 

There are also TFT droids with shotguns underneath them. 

From old enemies, there are many Grave Wardens, Bloaters and two stout, strong Mancubi. 

The sublimal messages are present always.

YOU ARE NOT GETTING FURTHER

THESE MACHINES ARE THE FUTURE

THIS IS THE PEAK OF LIMBO

Finn and Leah realize this will be even tougher when four plasma turrets made of flesh come from the environment.

A turret fires at a former Stormtrooper and turns him to crisp. Greyfur dashes faster than the human eye can see and gets behind the turret. Then he uses all of his might to rip it off and throw it at a CR-T. But a Bloater hits him with its poison, stopping his healing. The Bloater is gunned down by former Stormtroopers. Kallie fires her speargun and impales a Grave Warden. Then she uses her net to catch a shotgun shell and return it to the television that shot her.

She finally jumps above a Grave Warden and then crushes him with a bellyflop before using her Spirit Net to smack one of the Monovision. Another CR-T shoots at her with its machine guns, but she dodges and fires an Ice Egg. It does not stun the droid, but makes it more vulnerable... and a werewolf destroys it with a single bite!

One of the werewolves manages to easily kill a Grave Warden. Then he dodges some bullets from a CR-T and rips it apart. But he gets hit by three fireballs of a Mancubus and, with his fur set ablaze, he tries to roll but fails to do so and burns. Another charges at the Mancubus, but gets wounded by a quick fireball and struck by a very powerful two-handed slam.

Leah sees the fireballs are too fast and could hit even her. But she has the Garlic Bombs... they are only lethal to vampires, but the only projectile she has. She throws one at the Mancubus. It does not do much, but the fat demon is stunned for precious seconds, allowing Leah to dash speeds too fast even for werewolves to see and get close. 

She unleashes a lot of punches while yelling, ten blows per second, each with the strength of a bullet. The Mancubus is weakened by the attacks, but slams the ground with both arms. This would severely injure even people as tough as Leah, but is neither quick nor skilled. Leah dodges it and unleashes a second flurry of punches and finishing with a kick. 

The Mancubus recovers and attempts another slam, but fails again. So he gets some more hits and then shoots a fireball in point-blank range, finally hitting the woman.

Finn uses his lightsaber and cleaves a CR-T in two. Then he fires his blaster to get rid of a Bloater and three TFT droids. He sees two Grave Wardens beating up a former Stormtrooper with their shovels and shoots both of them dead.

"Are you ok?" 

"Ugh... not so good, General."

Finn can't Force Heal, so he sacrifices one of his own herbs to heal the soldier. 

Immediately after, he uses the Force to protect both from a fireball by the second Mancubus. Then he Force Pushes the heavy creature backwards, but he doesn't manage to send him far enough and a fireball grazes him. The dark-skinned General sees a Bloater about to spit poison at a werewolf. Seeing that Greyfur has to constantly heal from the toxins and can't heal other injuries, he decides to help. 

When the venomous projectile goes for the wolf, Finn redirects it and hits the Mancubus, poisoning the demon instead and allowing his werewolf ally to hit the Bloater first.

Then, while the Mancubus is recovering, Finn draws the heavy Microwave Beam and lands a direct hit at the creature's huge belly. But because it took a little time to charge, the demon did manage to shoot his left leg with a small fireball.

Finn holds his leg for ten seconds, but draws his blaster and, after dodging two fireballs, pulls the trigger and shoots the Mancubus some more. Then he draws his lightsaber and charges, hoping his enemy is easier in close range.

Kallie freezes a turret with her Ice Eggs and destroys it with her Spirit Net before punching out a Grave Warden. Then she uses her speargun to impale one of the televisions. 

Leah is still struggling with the Mancubus, and a turret shoots her in the back. She turns into her wolf form and unleashes the mighty Seven-Sided Strike. She hits the Mancubus, the turret and five evil televisions that cornered Embry.

The Mancubus is the only one who survives, barely. Leah dodges three fireballs and tears his throat off. Then she reverts to human form and gets to the last turret, dodging every shot in the way. She actually grabs the turret and turns it against the Grave Wardens and Bloaters.

Finn dodges another mighty slam by rolling and leaves a deep cut in the beast's left side. Then he gets behind the demon and slashes his back three times before the monster turns and goes for another slam. This time, Finn dodges and slashes upwards, also jumping, and then draws his blaster and shoots the fat fiend in the head three times, finally killing him. 

As Leah is shooting Bloaters, Greyfur has started healing again. He charges at the Monovision and starts destroying them with his claws and jaws. He rips one apart with his bare hands and at full speed dodges some bullets and claws another CR-T. A TFT uses its shotgun and would actually do severe damage if Greyfur did not get behind it and bite it to death.

Embry throws a Monovision at another, lunges and finishes both with his claws. Kallie uses her Spirit Net to destroy some more televisions, but a bullet gets her in the upper arm. A CR-T and a Bloater are about to shoot at her, but Leah uses the turret she hijacked to kill both of the monsters. Finn uses the Force to guide four of his blaster bolts and hit four enemies. 

In the end, the last Grave Warden falls to Greyfur and a bite in the neck. 

Finn tries to call for help, seeing they have a chance to be defeated. However, the signal is cut.

"Damn it!"

Neither Virago's Force can sense them. Even Gray, a stoic usually, is very worried. 

She is holding her arm, shot by a Vampire Agent. "They are giving their lives and we can't do anything due to injuries. I have no idea if they are dead or alive!"

"All I know, Gray, is that our friends are in Limbo and in grave danger."

Emily brings two of her yellow healing herbs. "Want some? They can soothe your wounds."

The two women eat them from the cook's hands. 

"Wow. I knew you would love them, but..."

"Delicious!" Virago sees her sword wounds closing a little immediately. The difference is visible. 

"Now can we join the fight?" Gray asks.

"No, you have to relax."

Poe is petting BB-8. "Five minutes. In five minutes, if our allies send nothing, a second squad will be sent."

Back to the terrible tower, the rebels encounter some small Chompies, strange bugs which bite people but are very weak, and also Chebubs. They are no match for even the former Stormtroopers. 

However, in a corridor a bowling ball hits one of the soldiers. A yellow ghost prepares another bowling ball to hurl at the revolutionaries. As it does so, Finn uses the Force and reflects it. The ghost laughs as the ball passes through it. Kallie rushes at the ghost, but it throws one more ball. Finn reflects that one too, allowing Kallie to reach and strike the ghost, defeating it instantly. 

The messages continue.

OBEY

ENVIRONMENT IS A MYTH

EATING SOMETHING YOU CAN DIGEST IS BRAINWASHING

DON'T WEAR MASKS IN CASE OF A PANDEMIC, OTHERS ARE WORTH LESS THAN YOUR COMFORT

Leah spots two vampires talking.

"These humans are morons! Recently, a deadly virus was released and they gather in large masses to protest about having to follow measures to protect the health of others in public!"

"I believe we should stop hiding. They will worship us as saviors because we eat their neighbors, which is not the problem of the rest, and also decrease overpopulation. Plus, we are whiter than any human, so we will qualify as master race."

"Aren't we? We are eternally handsome, powerful, young. We are basically gods."

Leah hides in the shadows and decides to test the Garlic Bomb at the bloodsuckers. She does so the moment one says he smells something like a dirty dog. The bomb explodes and destroys both vampires at once easily.

A third vampire comes to investigate, but Finn fires his blaster at many places and freezes the shots with the Force. The bloodsucker is soon surrounded by blaster bolts. 

"Shit."

They all go for the vampire at once and kill him.

Finn and Leah lead their elite force through the floor... and in the next one, they encounter their old adversaries. A Chompy hops to bite some human, but a foot comes crashing on top of the little monster. 

And a Vampire Maid appears with her broom. "Oh my! Sorry! I made the floor dirty! Allow me a second."

The maid uses her broom and cleans the mess she made. The brunette leaves a chuckle and dashes close to the intruders. "Oh, you must be our guests. Master Al did tell us about you... I have brought some company to greet you properly!"

She bows down and a door opens. 

And many vampires come through. Most of them are ordinary, but there are Vampire Infantry, Vampire Maids and even a few Vampire Brides.

"Take care of the guests." the maid orders and charges along with the others.

The former Stormtroopers, side by side with the man who inspired them to carve their own path, fire their blasters in unison, causing a fusillade of blaster bolts. One month ago, they would manage to kill over fifteen vampires. 

Unfortunately for them, the days the vampires underestimated the blasters and humans are over.

The pale predators immediately dodge the barrage and attack from both sides to flank the humans. However, the werewolves are already waiting for their eternal rivals at both sides. They planned to surround the vampires, but now they merely prevent the humans from getting surrounded. The initial hail of shots has killed only one vampire. 

A werewolf tears the throat of a bloodsucker and attacks one of the Vampire Brides. The moment he claws her, a purple thunderbolt falls from the sky and electrocutes the grey canine. The Bride proceeds to batter him with her umbrella. He barely blocks one strike and punches her in the gut, but gets killed by another thunderbolt. The Bride manages to grab a former Stormtrooper. 

"You look nice and sweet. Perhaps you would like to be my husband?" 

He can't escape her clutches. 

Finn uses the Microwave Beam to fry three vampires, but a Vampire Maid dodges and gets close to him, swiping at his legs and nearly knocking him down with her broom. He still has his balance and strikes her with his lightsaber before throwing her away with the Force.

Leah uses a Garlic Bomb and kills four vampires at once, but a knife grazes her. She turns into her wolf form and bites a vampire woman in the neck. Then she swipes with her claws and wounds a vampire. The bloodsucker bites Leah's back, but she throws him off and finishes him off with her teeth.

Then she sees the Vampire Infantry, which she once feared, winning against the werewolves and killing three of them. She uses the Seven-Sided Strike to turn the tables by defeating seven Infantrymen. She remembers _how_ much trouble they gave her in Greece and Egypt. 

The Vampire Maids have more than their brooms. They have a unique spell, Vaccum Gust, which brings victims closer and then sends them flying with wind. One of them uses it to break the formation of the former Stormtroopers. She sends two flying, but gets injured by a blaster bolt. 

Embry and Greyfur beat up some vampires and throw them into the line of fire of the blasters. They destroy five undead this way. However, when Embry punches a bride, he gets electrocuted and an uppercut knocks him back. 

Kallie is not happy. Her Spirit Net and Ice Eggs are utterly useless against these foes. In fact, the vampires are immune to low temperatures. But she still has one more weapon she can use, the speargun. The first shot hits a vampire's arm and does nothing. The vampire punches her hard in the face. Kallie is a bit dizzy, but before the bloodsucker can finish her off, Finn uses his lightsaber and cuts off the monster's head. 

Embry is running from the Vampire Bride he fought earlier. "These Brides are too powerful for us!" 

Greyfur rushes to help, but has to pass through the shots of his own allies and the enemies and decides not to keep doing so. He gets hit by a Vaccum Gust and sent backwards, but recovers and charges at the Vampire Maid. He gets struck by her broom in the forehead, but retaliates with a right hook and then a left uppercut. 

"That's so rude of you!" She retaliates with a knee kick and slaps his cheek. 

"Oh no... I got my hands dirty! I should wash them after this!"

Greyfur punches her in the gut and rips part of her dress off with his claws accidentally, then he decapitates her. 

The Vampire Maid who greeted the rebels blows a kiss at one of the soldiers and he blushes. She seizes the distraction, grabs him and drinks his blood. 

Finn sees the Vampire Brides are nearly invincible. They can regenerate just like the rest, but also have these umbrellas and can summon lightning from the sky, always hitting the enemies if attacked.

He sees that they are flammable vampires in even more flammable wedding dresses... but nobody in their team has fire! 

He knows his squad has the disadvantage, but he is not going to give up. 

Meanwhile, Poe, BB-8, Q, Virago, Gray and the Poet, as well as two flamethrower soldiers, get in as reinforcements. The Poet makes a portal and gets in the floor 120. 

The moment they get in, the rebels are confronted by Moblins. All orange, except for a Silver one. The Nutty Poet asks for the others to cover her, as she is painting a machine gun. Poe and Q have their UV Ray Guns, as Q managed to create a second one in the meantime so he doesn't have to share it with Poe or vice versa. 

They both fire the guns and pierce several Moblins at once. Virago uses the Force to push twelve Moblins backwards, while Gray makes two Moblins fight each other and shoots two more with her Gunblade. One reaches her and attacks with his wooden sword, but she parries with her weapon and then stabs him. 

The flamethrower soldiers burn the Moblins and their wooden gear. 

But the rebel reinforcements are still outnumbered and each of them is valuable. So, when Poe gets an arrow to the knee, it is enough for the rebels to lose some morale. Poe is still a Resistance General though. He retaliates with his blaster and kills the archer in one shot before dodging another arrow.

Virago uses her Orca Swords and fights off two Moblin swordsmen at once. She manages to beat both, but an arrow strikes her in the arm. It would pierce her heart, but thanks to the Force she was just quick enough to block with her elbow. The wound is still bad though.

Gray fights the Silver Moblin. She tries mind control, but this Moblin is smarter than the regular ones, and enhanced by the Dark One's black magic. So, she fires her Gunblade at him, but he uses his shield and blocks all the bullets easily. Then he charges and strikes her with his shoulder before slashing her across the chest. 

However, she parries the next strike and performs many quick jabs. They are too fast for the Moblin to parry them all, but the size of his shield helps him block them and he retaliates with a jab. Gray barely dodges and spins at the right side of the Moblin. He blocks that strike too, but BB-8 electrocutes the commando and allows Gray to stab him in the gut. 

The orange droid rolls and avoids some arrows and an axe, then he electrocutes a Moblin. Gray and the Silver Moblin trade a kick and the former gets up first due to the latter's wound. She shoots the Moblin's leg and lands a jab at his shoulder, but gets hit by a shield bash and a jab at the ribs. She is knocked down and he raises the sword to finish her off. She proceeds to shoot him seven times and kill him.

However, reinforcements come in the form of some vampires.

Poe and Q prepare their UV guns... and open fire simultaneously. 

Meanwhile, Finn has lost over ten comrades. All their lives they suffered, and they got killed like this shortly after they discovered their families and a real purpose. He has no time to feel he led them to their deaths. He has to find a way to defeat those Brides.

Leah manages to defeat a Maid and two Infantrymen, but she might put herself in danger if she attacks the Brides... he needs fire. Something to burn them. 

Like... a microwave oven?

This is it! He finds a Bride toying with one of his men. 

"Why that look, dear? Don't you want to dance with me?"

Finn prepares his Microwave Beam. But her vampiric senses make her spot the General and grab her victim.

"Why are you so rude? I just wanted to dance with my partner! And even if I am a vampire, he is not. Don't hurt him!"

"You... "

She starts touching the soldier's neck. Leah is not there, she is busy taking on twelve vampires at once. 

Finn seathes the Microwave Beam. He has only one way to win. He fires his blaster six times. 

The Bride is surprised at his horrible aiming.

"What will you achieve by shooting at air? I thought your aiming skills were charming, not many men could interest the late Lady Armilla!"

Finn knows he will get thunderstruck if he lands one hit. He also knows she has a hostage. And that he is dealing with a vampire. With the Force, he changes the trajectory of all six shots and they hit the Bride simultaneously, making her drop the hostage and get to her knees, while Finn only gets electrocuted once.

He still drops to his knees and consumes a yellow herb to recover a little. Then he waits for the bride to charge at him, which she does, and with the saber ignited he stakes her in the heart.

"I am afraid the wedding is over!"

Finn leaves a sigh of relief. He did it. He defeated a Bride. However, another manages to seize him.

"Hello, Jedi! I think you would make an ideal partner." She is about to bite him and drink his blood, but Leah has managed to kill all twelve vampires and chrages at her for a barrage!

"ORA!"

She only lands one punch before she gets zapped. The Bride turns at her and strikes her with her umbrella four times. But Leah manages to catch it and simply pushes the vampire woman backwards, without getting electrocuted...

Straight at Finn's Microwave Beam which has the expected result for Finn and vaporizes the bloodsucker!

Kallie fires a spear at another vampire, impaling him. But she still doesn't dare fight any remaining brides. However, one comes at her charging and punches her so hard she is sent flying backwards. Finn aims at the Bride, but seven vampires block his way. Leah clears them with the Seven-Sided Strike and he fires, destroying the Bride in one shot!

Meanwhile, Rey is in Indianapolis. Using the Falcon, she was planning to go straight to Washington, knowing Finn and his friends are there, but she saw some monsters in the way.

And she can't just ignore people in danger. But there is something else. Her last fight ended in humiliation, and she really wants payback. "Still a Palpatine" no, she is a Skywalker, and she will not be compared to the maniac of a grandfather she had because of one big mistake she did. And what she got at the hands of that Archdemon and his red dragon, she wants to give it to them and their minions tenfold. 

So, she lands towards the city and finds some undead roaming it. 

She draws her yellow lightsaber. "Let's dance."

On one side, zombies, which include, apart from regular ones, Bloaters, Pukers, Throwers. On the other, a scavenger.

The undead never stood a chance. 

Meanwhile, back to the Boar News Tower, Poe and Q use their UV rays and manage to pierce many vampires. The Poet has drawn a stake and pierces the heart of a Maid, while the two soldiers burn some more undead. 

However, they all reach a door with two locks. One red, one blue. It's guarded by a few Stalfos and a new undead monstrosity, the fast Bone Fiends.

Q's arsenal and the Poet's paintbrush are too slow for this threat, so the former sticks to his UV gun and the latter makes an ice wall to force the charging skeletons to turn. Of course, they do so, but the flamethrower soldiers are already waiting and set the Bone Fiends on fire!

Poe Dameron also fires his UV Beam and pierces a Bone Fiend. It does not kill the monster, but allows a soldier to burn it more easily. Gray knows she can't control these constructs, but she can still shoot them. Virago charges at a Bone Fiend and uses the Orca Swords to cut it down to size. Then she sees a Stalfos coming at her. 

She unites the blades finally. And performs such a powerful strike that she defeats the Stalfos in one hit. The Poet has her machine gun ready and helps the others gun down the Bone Fiends, but also checks if someone tries to go through the ice wall. She paints a mine right behind it in case someone gets through it. Only a Stalfos tries to and manages only a simple cut before Virago cuts him in half. 

As the Bone Fiends struggle with the flamethrowers, they stop charging from the sides and the Stalfos go in their place, their shields up. Virago gets attacked by a Bone Fiend and wounded by a claw swipe. BB-8 gives the solution, defending Virago from the Bone Fiend and electrocuting a Stalfos from the side, exposing the skeletal warrior to Poe and a headshot.

Back to the main Stormwolf force, Little Finn rushes to help Embry, who is getting strangled by a Vampire Maid. The Maid could crush him with her foot... however, this one is scared of mice! She immediately runs away from Little Finn and escapes. 

Leah uses the Seven-Sided Strike again, killing six regular vampires and injuring the last Bride. A thunderbolt only strikes her after she finishes the attack. She changes to human form and lures a Vampire Infantryman to throw a dagger, ducking it and making it hit the Bride. Then she grabs the soldier and throws it at the other elite vampire. However, the Infantryman recovers and injures her with a knife, while the Bride zaps her with a purple thunderbolt. 

Leah is stunned and another iron knife pierces her tough skin. She is bleeding. She knows blood will make vampires aggressive, and falls to the ground. She only hopes she is lucky... 

She is not. The Infantryman goes first. However, blaster bolts from the former Stormtroopers knock him down. So, the Bride is the one who remains, the soldiers too afraid to shoot her. 

This tips the stakes in Leah's favor, for she wanted the Bride to get close... she is really weakened and wearing a wedding dress. Her stake passes through her heart, finishing the bloodsucker off! If the Infantryman went there, his armor would be too thick for the stake and Leah would be defeated! The Infantryman recovers from the shots, but Leah dashes and the two trade a right hook. Leah ducks the next punch and kicks him. Then she gives the strongest of her punches to finish him off.

The vampires are defeated, but there are more challenges to overcome. Finn, Leah and their friends get three floors higher, destroying armed cameras, Gun Minions and Zombie Security. Finn spends a detonator there to destroy five Zombie Security at once and avoid risking the loss of troops. 

A Puker rushes at them, threatening to blow itself up and the rebels with it. Finn pushes it back with the Force, then kills it with a headshot.

In the end, they all encounter some Chebubs and Demon Wolves. The dark blue, savage canines are formidable for the average werewolf. There is also a small lagoon with deep water. Kallie defeats a Chebub with Ice Eggs and then offers to go explore the place. She might find something very helpful.

Finn uses his blaster and destroys a Chebub, making it explode in a pool of green acidic blood. A Demon Wolf lunges at him, but Leah leaps even faster and bites the savange beast. Not wanting to give her stronger enemy any opening, she keeps biting and clawing until she manages to eliminate the evil wolf. However, more are coming. 

Finn has realized how necessary his training was. These enemies are no pushovers... especially after he stabs a Demon Wolf through the forehead, since the reinforcements come and alone are tougher than the initial wave. 

_Two Hell Knights._

And in a closed space, so Poe can't help. 

Embry and Greyfur, for the first time, really want Dameron to show up. 

Dameron is busy throwing a detonator at six Stalfos and blowing all of them up. The Bone Fiends have made cracks in the ice wall but got shot through the gaps by the Poet. Q blows the head off a skeleton with his Drill Blaster and Virago swings her big sword to cut a Stalfos in half. 

When the last skeleton falls, the rebels leave a sigh of relief. Then a Spectre, an invisible Pinky, charges through the ice wall straight at the Poet... and the mine she put saves her life.

The team starts looking for the keys. They have to fight though some Lost Souls, Monovision and Malwraths, which fall relatively easily. They also have to dodge some traps which include spikes, giant guillotines, static machine guns and electric fences. 

They eventually get inside a big room that contains the red key. There are cameras everywhere. If the intruders get spotted, the doors will lock, the place will fill with mustard gas and it is going to kill them all. Virago senses the location of the computer that will unlock the key if hacked.

Poe makes the plan. "Q can turn invisible. He will pass through, deactivate the alarm and then BB-8 can hack the computer and unlock the key for us."

"Not so easily." the Nutty Poet points out. "Q can't be seen, but I recognize this floor. It's a special one, one the Daimyos made to defend their castles from the ninjas. The ninjas were good at stealth, but these floors made a lot of noise at the slightest step. The alarm will ring!"

"Virago, can you lift me until the end?" Q asks. "We need your telekinesis."

"I can't fully control it! I can't move you easily across the room!"

"What will my role be?" Gray asks.

"Stay outside and watch for guards. You are our best diplomat."

"Can I lift BB-8 directly?" 

"Of course not. The cameras will spot him."

"But I am not that great..."

"That's why I am here." the Poet replies. And starts drawing a long wooden plank to shorten the distance Virago has to carry Q. 

As she does so, Gray sees an Imp Lord coming.

"We are the Great One's employees, sent here to test the security measures."

"You are the Great One's employees, seny here to test the security measures."

"Like taking candy from a baby" Gray whispers to herself. 

Meanwhile, underwater, Kallie is swimming and using her Spirit Net to defeat some ghost fish. She also uses the Seal Spin to get rid of a piranha coming to bite her. Underwater, almost nothing can stop her.

Almost.

Because this place has a giant monstrous fish, the Gyorg! And it starts chasing Kallie to devour her. She swims as fast as she can and manages to stay ahead, spinning to gain even more speed and get rid of the piranhas getting in her way.

However, the Gyorg is still catching up! Kallie makes one final spin, and... she manages to get in a path narrow enough for the big fish to get stuck. Still able to hold her breath, the woman keeps swimming, relaxing for a minute. 

The Gyorg sends its offspring at the big woman and they get too close fast. She starts fighting them off with her net and defeats at least five, but they are too many and she has to keep moving forward.

Finn throws a detonator at a Hell Knight. The demon throws a green fireball to intercept it, but Finn focuses completely on the fireball and sends it slightly to his right, so his attack connects. But the demon survives... only to be struck by the Microwave Beam. It knocks him down, but the elite fiend recovers again.

"Is that all you've got?" 

The demon charges once more and Finn switches to blaster, landing four hits before getting slashed across the chest. He draws his lightsaber and blocks the first strike. He counters with his own, but the green arm blades allow the big demon to parry the strike by using both at once.

The former Stormtroopers can't help because they are busy fighting the Chebubs and some Demon Wolves.

Leah can't help either, because she is busy fighting the other Hell Knight. She uses her superior speed, dodges a vertical slash and punches the ground. As the demon flinches, she unleashes multiple rapid punches at him.

Then she jumps back to dodge three lethal swings. She sees six Demon Wolves cornering her men and unleashes one more Seven-Sided Strike, killing the wolves and badly wounding the demon. But a green fireball injures her.

Finn manages to land three hits on the demon he is fighting, but, in spite of being now a full Jedi, is still physically weaker than this beast. He feels Leah in pain and gets distracted for one second. This allows the already stronger Hell Knight to strike him. 

Finn gets far, Force Pushes the Hell Knight to a Chebub, killing the bug, and gets a yellow herb. Then he fires his blaster and shoots at the heavy demon. He weakens him a bit and then rolls and dodges a green fireball. He fires his blaster once more.

The Hell Knight throws two more fireballs, but Finn dodges them and charges with his lightsaber. However, one hits him and the Knight closes the distance, striking the young man. 

Close range will not help, Finn realizes, he has to fight at his own terms. Long range.

Meanwhile, the Poet puts the bridge on the special floor and then goes to a portal she drew to leave quickly. 

This way, though the gas does come out, nobody dies and Gray controls a Moblin to deactivate it. 

Then Q steps in the end of the bridge and Virago has a much easier time bringing him to the other side, where he deactivates the alarm and BB-8 hacks the computer.

Meanwhile, Kallie has managed to escape the little Gyorgs, but the big one digs underground and chases her again! The Gyorg nearly bites her in two, but she dashes at full speed and narrowly dodges it. She keeps swimming with the savage creature behind her.

She has another narrow escape, but finally manages to get on land!

There her curiosity is rewarded... for she finds a blue key! Knowing it will be useful, she rushes to grab it. However, she has to confront a dangerous ghost guarding it. A blue Goober with a cutlass.

She prepares her Spirit Net.

Back to Finn, he charges his Microwave Beam again. The mighty blaster fires at the Knight the moment he hurls a fireball. The green fireball is stronger than the ordinary orange and red ones. But it pales against the Microwave Beam, which effortlessly passes through and strikes the Knight, finally killing him!

Leah is in wolf form and tears the throat of a Demon Wolf off. The Hell Knight slashes at her and then is about to stomp on her head... but Greyfur charges and rams him with such strength that the Knight is about to lose his balance! Leah seizes the opportunity and lunges before the Hell Knight recovers, tearing his throat off with a powerful bite!

Then she changes back into a human and uses her steel pipe to clobber a Demon Wolf charging at her, while Embry kills a Chebub with a stone.

The Alpha takes one of her cousin's healing herbs and smiles. 

"Well, guys... remember when a single one of those guys was a Knightmare?" 

"Leah, you know this is a very serious mission, right?"

"Very well, Finn. And this is why we need morale!"

"Good point."

Embry and Greyfur finish off the last Demon Wolf, while the last Chebub falls to a former Stormtrooper. 

"So, where is Kallie?" Leah asks.

"I can sense her. She is fighting something that has no body... and is winning."

Far from the terrible tower, Rey makes a camp for herself and remembers her happy moments with Finn and Poe. They even got to make a training course for her. It ended in them fighting pirates, but still. Another time, Poe and her played Holochess with the winner spending a whole day with BB-8. 

Fucking imprint, her defeat was not fair! And she was honorable enough not to use a Mind Trick!

She also remembers back on Jakku, how she and Finn were running from the TIE Fighters... how she told him to stop taking her hand. He did. She is not happy. 

"Did you... did you have to listen to me?" 

No, she has to focus on something else. Their happier moments. Three months before Exegol, the two got a break from their training and travelled with the Falcon to create a map of the stars and the planets around them. She remembers watching, naming every star, planet, moon at their journey. Together with him. 

Another time, she woke up too early because Kylo invaded her head in her dreams. She wanted to isolate herself, but Finn did not let her. That day, he held her in his arms and promised her everything would go fine. He told her she is strong, the last Jedi, and that she would overcome those nightmares. She returned the hug that day, promised she would stand strong. 

Later, the two got on Hoth. Finn was familiar with snow due to Starkiller, but the desert scavenger was not. The two got attacked by a Wampa, but Finn shot the creature and exposed it to Rey. They won together. Later, they tried to build a big snowman. A symbol of their companionship. Who knows, maybe he is still standing proud. 

The two even had snowballing. She used the Force far better, he was the better shot. They were even. It ended with the two being covered in snow and laughing.

Only now... Rey is not laughing at all.

She is in front of the campfire she lit, burning inside herself. "I shouldn't have acted the way I did. The Dark One shouldn't have messed with my soul. Now, Finn is probably with some bitch, making her happy, and I am here, alone with my thoughts! 

Well, I wll fix what I broke. Finn will be mine. Nobody will stand between us anymore!" 

Ten minutes later, inside the Boar News Tower, the entire rebel force has both keys, united and is a single step away from the door. 

Only to find the Bone Fiends resurrected.

"What happened? We killed those things!"

"Indeed" a man on fire replies in a high-pitched noise. "And I brought my comrades back to life."

"What the fuck are you?" Poe asks as he throws a detonator and it explodes close to the demon. The fiery fiend is injured but still alive, and raises his hands in the air. This causes fire to ignite inside Poe, wounding the ace pilot. 

The Nutty Poet sees that her ice walls will be worse than useless against this foe, so she uses her bazooka instead. But the Bone Fiends get in the way and get destroyed instead. Fire also ignites inside the Asian woman and she lays on the ground in agony. 

Gray fires her Gunblade at the creature, who revives a Stalfos. The skeleton blocks the bullets. But Virago pushes the Stalfos away, allowing Gray to wound the demon. And a geyser of fire comes from the ground, which Gray barely avoids. 

Finn shoots the monster and the former Stormtroopers do the same in unison. 

"You are the most insidious demon I have ever seen! I will defend my friends at all costs!" 

The demon is badly injured, but uses another geyser right between two former Stormtroopers and kills both of them at once. Then he revives a Bone Fiend.

Finn draws the Microwave Beam. "You are more than vile! You are..."

"An Archvile? Yeah, that's the name of my species."

The beam strikes through the Bone Fiend, hitting the high-level demon too. Finn leaves a sigh of relief... then he feels his insides burning and drops to his knees. 

The Archvile comes to finish him off... but Poe throws a second detonator at all the revived skeletons and one at the creature itself. 

The dangerous fiend falls, asking "why..."

The team takes a break for five minutes. They heal the wounded, bury the dead. 

Then they enter the door. 

Where they face many Gohma Larvae, which are small one-eyed arachnids, and Grave Wardens. Gray shoots at the creatures with her Gublade, but some Larvae swarm her. She uses her weapon and slashes at them up close. Virago uses her Orca Swords and takes on six Wardens at once. Q uses his sniper rifle and destroys some Gohma Eggs in the ceiling, preventing reinforcements. Then with his Ultraviolet Beams pierces three Wardens at once and then uses Spydor Mines to fight the Gohma Larvae. 

Poe uses his own UV Ray and detonators to fight, and even Garlic Bombs. The flamethrower soldiers torch many enemies and keep them at bay. Even Little Finn fights against a Gohma Larva and is winning. BB-8, meanwhile, is electrocuting three.

Finn senses two very large creatures coming. "I have a bad feeling about this!" 

He uses the Force to send three Wardens and two Larvae flying, but a claw comes out of the blue and grabs the dark-skinned Jedi. 

And a mighty adult Gohma appears. It opens and closes its jaws, threatening to eat Finn. 

But the Nutty Poet, with all her remaining energy, has painted a longbow and aims at the beast's only eye. The eye becomes red for a second, instead of its normal orange. And the arrow strikes, stunning the beast and releasing Finn... who attacks with his blue lightsaber and slashes the now green eye several times. 

However, the spider recovers and knocks him down with a swing, then she climbs a wall to reach the ceiling.

Meanwhile, regular zombies with broken wooden swords and tiny wooden shields get to be reinforcements. A single werewolf plows through all of them without a scratch. 

However, those fodder were to lure the rebels into a false sense of security, for a giant strange axe cuts the werewolf in half in one single swing!

Leah sees the fearsome beast that just killed one of her men advancing, accidentaply stomping a Gohma Larva and not caring. 

A colossal gray demon with golden eyes, this honred beast is the fearsome Vanguard. Leah changes into her wolf form, because while durability hardly matters, the further boost in speed is necessary. 

She howls at the brute and gets his attention. Then she runs at full speed and avoids the first swipe of the giant's axe. She gets behind him... but he suddenly uses his small wings and lifts himself off the ground.

What the fuck is he doing?

And, to Leah's surprise, the Vanguard tries to stop her with his butt. She jumps back and avoids getting crushed. Then she lunges at the Vanguard's back and unleashes multiple bites and claw swipes!

However, the Vanguard turns and swings his axe again, but Leah jumps back again and then dashes at the Vanguard's right once more! He only needs one hit, so she is going to make sure she will be completely safe. 

The Gohma's armored body is too strong! It doesn't get pierced even by the Microwave Beam, to Finn's surprise. The Gohma is in the ceiling, her only eye turning crimson again. She is preparing something.

Finn hopes blasters work as well as arrows. 

Fortunately for him, they do, and the Gohma comes crashing into the ground. The Jedi dashes at full speed and slashes at the big arachnid severap times, until he finally stabs her in the only eye. 

Feeling bad for the beast he defeated, he immediately draws the blade out and fires his blaster for a quick and painless death.

"I am sorry. But I had to defend myself."

Q saw what the Vanguard can do and draws his sniper rifle. "Let's get this over with."

He manages to shoot the Vanguard once between the eyes, distracting him and allowing Leah to land some free hits, but a Grave Warden sees where the bullet was from and hits the sniper with his shovel. Gray saves Q with a shot from her Gunblade, while Poe shoots two Gohma Larvae.

Leah avoids a buttstomp and manages to bite the Vanguard's tail off. But the beast turns around in pain and wrath and is about to split her in two! 

Leah has only one way to escape... she also sees six Wardens close... and performs the Seven-Sided Strike, defeating the six guards and injuring the Vanguard while escaping his devastating attack. Then she gets behind him and pounces on him, dealing severe damage with multiple attacks... 

However, the Vanguards sits on her. She doesn't get hit by the full force, but the weight is still enough to crush her back. She now struggles to move and the big demon turns to her for an overhead swipe of his giant axe. 

Leah has only one chance. 

She uses all of her remaining strength, focused on one blow... and springs at the Vanguard, landing a fatal bite. 

Then she turns to human form and consumes two herbs at once, right before she could faint. 

As the last Gohma Larva falls, the rebels keep ascending.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I proudly announce that I made myself nearly cry. No, seriously.
> 
> Favorite fight in this chapter? Or enemy type?
> 
> Best moment in general?
> 
> Opinions about Rey's flashback?
> 
> Please leave feedback!


	38. Confronting fear

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> ... is the destiny of a Jedi. 
> 
> And the destiny of any warrior. 
> 
> Will Finn and Leah conquer their fears, or will they falter and never reach the end? And will Rey also do the same?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Welcome to the most climatic chapters! This is the final battle. Since the big door opened, all hell broke loose. Will they all manage to escape in one piece?

Rey is in her camp. She feels a bit tired. She thinks of someone to massage her so she can feel better. She always liked the way Finn did it, but she always saw it as given until he left.

"I feel so alone... but not for long. On ten minutes, I can keep going towards Stormwolf. Towards him."

As she gets up, she hears a voice of a ghost.

"Ben?"

"Wrong answer, Rey Palpatine. Tell me something... did you tell anybody about the secret of the Dyad?"

"Who are you?"

"A Grim Reaper. One of Death's greatest servants. I fought your precious Ben before, dear... I defeated him the way a traitor deserves. Slashed him in the back."

Rey ignites her double yellow lightsaber. "You monster. I am going to rip you apart!"

"I suppose you are furious at the loss of your poor soulmate. And you are going to blame us for the way you acted towards him. The way you ran off."

"Yes. I am."

As she takes the defensive position, the Grim Reaper charges head first with his scythe to lop off her head. As she parries, she sees his scythe doesn't get a scratch.

She tries a Mind Trick, but he shrugs it off.

"Again, I am a Grim Reaper, and you are still human."

She knows this creature defeated her equal, probably very easily. She starts getting afraid. But she remembers Luke's lessons. She has to make her adoptive father proud.

Meanwhile, inside the grand tower, the rebels encounter a big problem. Lizalfos and Crocolfos charge, and they are too many. But, apart from them, there are the Mecha-Lizalfos with machine guns, and a few Aeralfos with big wings...

"They fly now?" Finn asks Poe.

"They fly now."

And both fire their blasters at the incoming enemies.

The Lizalfos take some shots to kill. The Mecha-Lizalfos are immune to blasters. Poe throws a detonator at the horde and Finn guides it straight at a Mecha-Lizalfos who was aiming for two soldiers. The explosion destroys the machine, but the organic lizardmen who were close dodge by jumping far enough away on time.

The Nutty Poet fires her Tommy Gun at the serpents and manages to gun down five of them. But the metal of a Mecha-Lizalfos outright deflects the shots and the robot fires its machine guns at the Asian girl. She raises an ice wall and blocks the bullets, but a Crocolfos jumps in front and burns the wall with his breath. The Poet draws her Naginata and blocks a sword strike by the creature before hitting him with the blunt end. However, she gets grazed in the arm by the robot.

BB-8 dodges gunfire from a Mecha-Lizalfos and electrocutes a Crocolfos, stunning him and allowing Embry to attack him. Greyfur punches out two Lizalfos at once.

Leah swings her steel pipe and strikes a reptile in the face. Then she kicks him a few feet away. But she gets surrounded by four enemies at once. She punches the ground hard and makes all of them lose their balance, then she performs rapid strikes at all four of them with the pipe and manages to kill them. However, one of the Lizalfos jumps right behind her and is about to stab her in the back! She does sense him, but still can't do anything!

Little Finn bites the serpent's tail hard, making him scream and allowing Leah to elbow the monster.

Then she turns and whacks him with her pipe.

Gray sees Virago overpowering a Lizalfos, but another tries to attack with his fiery breath from behind. Gray mind controls that enemy and makes him fight a Crocolfos instead. Then she draws her Gunblade and shoots at an Aeralfos, but the monster blocks with his shield and attacks with his fiery breath.

Gray dodges and shoots again, but it's blocked and the Aeralfos divebombs her. The attack injures the woman, but she gets up, shoots once more to distract the winged reptile and then attacks up close with her blade, forcing the Aeralfos to focus only on defense.

Kallie dodges gunfire from a Mecha-Lizalfos and fires Ice Eggs. They hardly do any damage and don't even slow down the mighty droid, which retaliates with more bullets. Kallie gets wounded in the knee, but fires her speargun square in the chest of the robot.

The thick and hard metal plates would stop even a spear normally. But the spear gets through, because the ice softened the armor up!

A Crocolfos manages to dodge all of Poe's blaster bolts. The Nutty Poet has a plan that Poe catches on immediately. She makes an ice wall to the enemy's right and with her machine gun provides cover fire, luring the Crocolfos to the perfect position. Poe shoots at the smooth wall, the shot gets deflected and hits the Crocolfos, allowing the Poet to finish him with bullets.

Virago uses the Force to rip a chunk of the ice wall and throw it at a robot. Finn manages to cut through a Crocolfos with his blue saber.

Poe orders Finn and Leah to go forward by themselves.

"We will hold them off! Face their leaders!"

"We will!"

The two pass through the enemy forces, defeating many of the powerful serpents before getting to the other side.

"Leah, do you feel bad for leaving our men this way?"

Leah glares at him. "No. We are not like Jacob. We did not run away... we are going straight to Al!"

"That's true!"

But both sense a message.

YOU GOT SO FAR, BUT ARE STILL MORTALS WITH LIMITS. TO CONFRONT ME, YOU MUST CONQUER YOUR FEARS.

And a wall of flesh separates Leah and Finn before either can react! The former is attacked by Hellhounds, the latter by undead Stormtroopers!

Meanwhile, out of the tower, Rey and the Grim Reaper launch each other backwards with the Force. The Reaper shoots four small fireballs, but Rey stops them with the Force. He suddenly vanishes and is behind her. She senses him with the Force and gets only a nick in the left arm.

Then she turns and unleashes a flurry of attacks with her double saber, which are all blocked. The Grim Reaper retaliates with his own slashes, sometimes teleporting to the other side. He actually manages to land a solid hit and wound the woman.

Then he floats where she can't reach him, throws her backwards with the Force and summons zombies to attack her. She starts slashing them with her lightsaber, but they distract her from the fireballs. And when she focuses on the fireballs, a zombie grabs her from behind and the Grim Reaper throws his scythe like a boomerang.

Rey is severely wounded, the intestine is damaged from this attack. If she wasn't far above the average Jedi, she would have already lost. Now she breaks free of the zombie's hold and cuts it in half. Then with the Force she jumps away from the next boomerang attack. But the Grim Reaper teleports away and throws her right next to her campfire.

She narrowly avoided getting burned to a crisp.

The Reaper makes his first mistake.

"Why are you struggling? I have already won. Look at your injuries. Leia died. Luke died. Ben died. FN-2187 is probably dead. After you die, the Jedi will become extinct!"

Rey uses the Force to weaponize the campfire as a stream with one hand and with the other to hold the Reaper in place. She manages to hit him and then crashes him to the ground with the Force.

However, the Grim Reapers are durable. "You need to try harder than _that_."

Back to the tower, Finn knew he was doing an act of mercy. The Stormtroopers did not deserve to be turned into cannon fodder a second time. He stabs the last one and whispers to his ear.

"May you rest in peace, Fourty-Eight."

But he sees someone who haunted him for a long time. The man who nearly killed him twice. His old ~~friend~~ enemy.

Without his helmet this time.

"Traitor!"

"Loyalist."

"This time, it seems your luck has run out, human. Twice I nearly killed you, and twice you were saved by your friends. But this time, you are all alone. Nobody will save you now."

"This time is different."

"What? Will you run? Run like you ran from the First Order. From your responsibilities. Don't pull on me the "I couldn't bring myself to kill them", coward. Is this why you had a lightsaber and still lost on Takodana?"

"Yes. It was. We used to be close. Though I also wasn't that great with the saber then. And is it really cowardice not to kill people who can't fight back? Phasma was a coward, who bullied both you and me, but was willing to do anything to save her sorry hide and never beat me once."

"I know she was, FN-2187. That's why I was given another chance instead of her. Even with my new power, she would not survive our last encounter. But back to you, it was really, really selfish of you not to kill those traitors to the First Order. To avoid the consequences for your failure. To refuse to die and kill for a greater cause."

"Until I, you know, saved the Galaxy by inspiring others to defect and crippled a fleet that would destroy all life in the world we live in. How cowardly of me.

And yes, I am still alive because I have friends. Didn't the Order force you not to have any? They did the same to me."

"Enough talk, Traitor. I hope you put up a good fight. Have at you!"

Finn can only read minds if completely focused. The enemy's mental defences aren't weak, but the First Order did him enough damage for Finn to read. It takes a lot of effort, he can only do this for a free hit.

The Loyalist dashes to his left, preparing an attack. He is feigning it and will attack from the right. But as he switches and goes for the real strike, Finn slashes him and lands the first hit.

Finn can no longer focus on reading the enemy's mind, but that was enough.

The Loyalist gets up. "Bastard... you read my mind... now I am prepared, though."

Finn throws him into a wall with the Force and lands some hits with his blaster.

The Loyalist growls in pain and draws his own blaster, firing some shots to gain some time. Finn knows he can't use the Force and guide rapid fire, so he deflects them all with his lightsaber.

The Loyalist realizes Finn has grown far more than the last time. Which only makes things more interesting.

Leah has to face a giant werewolf with little, light armor. These wolves are considered the strongest of all, the ones who conquered the weaknesses of their species. This is a Silver Werewolf, and Leah charges straight at the monster.

The beast charges too, but Leah is extremely fast and bites her enemy first.

Her teeth are burning. His skin is indeed made of sliver. She still did a little damage, but she has to forget all about her wolf form and brute force. She needs to use her head if she wants to stand a chance.

She uses a herb to heal herself and finds a big rock. She grabs it and throws it into the wolf's face.

That's it! As the enemy is stunned, Leah dashes close and smacks him again and again with her steel pipe. Then she jumps away before he recovers and rips her apart. She proceeds to throw more stones, but the beast starts blocking them!

Then he charges at her and slashes her with his claws, leaving a deep, burning wound. If only she had a good ranged weapon...

At this moment, Finn realizes the same thing as the Loyalist. His opponent has grown even stronger. As the dark-skinned man blocks more blaster bolts with his saber, a ball of Hellfire passes through his defenses and leaves a burning wound to his chest.

"Seems like you are not the only one who got better."

The Loyalist moves behind Finn and would have smashed his skull if not for the Force, the only thing that allows the Jedi to catch up to his much faster enemy. To the human eye, it's almost like teleport, but Finn can see exactly the way he moves.

The blue lightsaber and the Riot Baton clash again and again and the two warriors trade a kick to the chest. This knocks both backwards, but the Loyalist recovers first and he unleashes a stream of Hellfire. Finn dodges to the right and manages to land two saber strikes, but the Loyalist parries the next ones and retaliates with wildly spinning his baton vertically.

The dark-skinned General struggles to block all the attacks, barely does so. In the end, the consecutive attacks are too much for the Jedi and he gets disarmed. Before he can recover his weapon with telekinesis, the Riot Baton strikes him square in the chest.

Rey and the Grim Reaper are still fighting to the death. He summons more zombies, she kills them with her blaster, while having her saber ready for a cheap scythe strike that predictably comes from her left. The Jedi and the Reaper cross their weapons. The tip of the scythe cuts Rey's soulder, the tip of the double lightsaber scorches the Grim Reaper's dark green robes.

The Grim Reaper throws four more fireballs, each from a different angle, Rey freezes them all with the Force, but the Reaper uses the Force to make them move again and she dodges them. The Reaper gets behind her again and attempts to lop her head off, but barelly misses and Rey is forced to land on her back.

The Reaper takes advantage of this and lifts her off the ground with the Force. Then he charges with his scythe to finish her off... but she, in spite of being on air, manages to control her strong arms and parry the strike with her yellow saber. The two have a mid-air weapon clash and seem to be equal...

But actually, Rey is in a big disadvantage. The Reaper is far better in aerial fight... and his scythe glows, making his attack far more powerful!

This makes Rey lose the clash and get wounded, sent flying into a tree. She remembers Starkiller. How Kylo threw her like that. How Finn went into a coma defending her.

If looks could kill, the Grim Reaper's strength would not save him. He rips a tree with the Force and lands it on top of Rey. Then he does the same with another one. "Flat as a pancake!"

He killed Ben. He wanted to keep the truth about her actions secret. He nearly killed her. She tried to stay calm enough. But this comment crossed any possible line. "How did you call me?"

"Flat as a pancake!"

Rey's eyes turn yellow. The Dark Side surrounds her, it's devouring her. The song she hears of the Force consists of screeches. She lifts both trees with ease that surprises even her.

She tosses both of them at once. The Grim Reaper dodges one through teleportation, but the other is too fast to dodge... so he charges his skythe and cuts it in half. Rey attacks relentlessly with bolts of Force Lightning, blue thunderbolts of wrath. Some are fast enough to actually hit their target. The Reaper barely dodges one and charges, but Rey violently slams him to the ground multiple times. The hooded adversary teleports out of her grasp and gets behind her, preparing a heavy strike, his scythe glowing red.

Rey senses him with the Force and lands multiple jabs at him, screaming.

"DIE!"

The Grim Reaper eventually manages to catch her weapon and lock it with his own.

"You truly are Palpatine's granddaughter. He is so proud of you."

Rey's anger reaches extreme levels. She remembers Ben giving his life for her. And what the Reaper did. Her overwhelming power and rage give her the edge and the hunter of souls finds himself cornered.

He strengthens his attack like he did earlier. His scythe glows red again and allows him to start pushing Rey back.

"No... I will not lose... I will never lose..."

She remembers the battle in the Supermacy. She drops the saber, and before the fully powered scythe splits her in two, she dodges and ignites the blade again, striking the Reaper in the ribs.

"That was for what you did to Ben! And this..."

She slashes his arm off and then stabs him where a human has a heart.

"Is for what Kylo did to me."

The Grim Reaper looks at the Emperor's descendant with fear. "Ghhh... th... the Dark..."

And he vanishes into a black and dark purple mist, far bigger than that of the regular Reapers.

Rey knows she can't now go straight to Finn and his friends due to her injuries. If only she could Force Heal herself...

She needs to go to a hospital.

As she gets exhausted after her triumph, Leah is still fighting. She manages to throw another boulder at the beast, but the Silver Werewolf manages to grab her waist and attempts to crush her.

The silver is already burning her body, she has ten seconds to think of something.

Nine seconds. Eight seconds. Seven seconds.

And she falls dead.

The wolf throws her into a wall and howls in victory. He managed to defeat Leah Clearwater!

Finn, meanwhile, is also in big trouble. He manages to Force Push the Loyalist backwards and shoot him in mid-air, but when he equips the Microwave Beam for a devastating blow, the Loyalist just dodges it and shoots him in the shoulder.

The two trade blaster bolts and manage to strike each other's arms, but Nines casts Hellfire again. Finn tries to reflect it with the Force, like regular flames. But the stream is way too strong and gets him in the chest. He lifts a boulder with the Force and sends it at the demon, but he manages to smash it with his Riot Baton to multiple pieces. A blaster bolt grazes his ear, but he wounds Finn in the shoulder.

Finn spits some blood. "Your next line is: Any last words?"

He thought Nines would either say that or say he is no fool to fall for it. But Nines does the one correct solution. Silently, immediately, he attacks with his Riot Baton just as Finn gets up and strikes him so hard that he is sent flying into a wall.

Then he mercilessly fires his blaster and shoots him eight times. "You might be powerful, but you are still human!"

Finn's body is laying still to the ground.

Meanwhile, an Aeralfos manages to wound the Poet with his fiery breath. She draws a hookshot, while Poe Dameron fires his blaster and wounds the creature in the right wing. Then he fires once more, but the shield of the Aeralfos blocks the shot and the Poet uses her hookshot to grab hold of the shield, bringing the Aeralfos down. Poe puts the last detonator on the monster.

He and the Poet struggle to believe they just defeated one of the most powerful monsters.

The Silver Werewolf is about to seize Leah's body and eat her. However, as he charges with his jaws open, a steel pipe strikes his mouth so hard two teeth fly off. Before the wolf recovers, his assailant keeps wailing on him with the steel pipe, drawing more and more blood each time. The last strike is so strong that actually knocks down the creature!

"I am still alive, thank you!"

The stronger monster charges again, but Leah punches the ground very hard and the wolf loses his balance!

Then she finds a way to attack with rapid-fire fisticuffs. Instead of landing direct punches, the Native American warrior uses her wooden stake instead, the weapon that helped her so much against her most common enemies. The wolf's hard skin absorbs most of the impact, but not all of it.

She finally manages to scratch his throat enough to draw blood, but he punches a hole in her torso.

She, painfully, shifts back into a wolf. There she has no weapons. The Silver Wolf knows it. Instead of wondering why she did something so stupid, he charges to finish her off.

Leah has already seen the hole she made earlier. It's full of black ooze. She dodges the first swipe and gets there. When the second attack comes, she throws some of the ooze at the mighty wolf's gold eyes.

Then she heals a little bit, throws some more ooze and changes into a human. The wolf punches through the place she was in, but Leah has already dodged and unleashes a flurry of more pipe strikes.

In the end, she manages to smash the skull of the bigger and badder wolf.

"I did it... I defeated my greatest weakness. Now, I need to heal a bit."

She tries to stand up and scream in victory, but falls to her knees.

Nines approaches Finn faster than the human eye can see. "What a waste of great potential. You could have stayed with us, the First Order. You could replace that weak Captain, Phasma, and lead the First Order to glory. But no. You had to become a traitor.

I will kill you quickly, Eighty-Seven. For the good fight and the potential you once had."

He raises his Riot Baton to smash Finn's skull.

However, a blue lightsaber blocks his baton.

Nines wonders who helped Finn this time.

Then he sees his opponent staring him straight at the eyes. "You could have stayed human, Nines. But no. You had to become a traitor."

For the first time, the Loyalist is surprised. He can't finish his opponent, nor respond...

And the Jedi uses a very strong Force Push, sending him flying across the room!

If not for his now demonic nature, Nines would have his spine broken from the impact.

**Nines' POV**

I was sure FN-2187 was alone this time. Nobody would save his skin like the previous two times. The damage I did to him could have killed even a true Jedi Knight.

How can he still fight?

I am pretty sure he called me a traitor so I could lose focus. And he sure gained a lot of time. He is getting up... how? He should have been dying right now!

No, I can't feel desperate. I finally found a worthy opponent, I will enjoy this a lot. Still, I am not going to let him win! He has no friends to help him this time! I can finally kill him!

I unleash a stream of Hellfire at him. I don't care how durable he is, this will finish him off. It has to. He is too weakened to dodge this. These flames are too much for the Force or a lightsaber.

But alas, he found the strength to dodge. How can a lowly traitor have so much resolve? So much determination? No, he is a false idol. A false hero. He shouldn't be inspiring anyone.

And yet...

But I have no time to think. The Traitor is shooting at me. I send another stream, one that destroys the blaster bolts and grazes him. But he still does not give up. I underestimated him.

I did the mistake of treating him as FN-2187. While I should be treating him as Finn.

"I am not afraid of you, Finn! I will give you the death of a real Jedi!"

[The Only Thing I know for Real](https://youtu.be/CXRxRTW6nXg)

**Third Person POV**

Finn takes a yellow herb and heals himself partially. Then he seathes his weapons.

"Nines! I wish we still could be friends."

Nines is taken aback. "Me too... all you had to do was to shoot those villagers. Then we could still be together as a team."

"You are insane."

"No. I do what I have to."

"Do you ever think if it's right?"

"The one who stands in the end is right."

He charges at the unarmed black man, his guard down. He is too fast for Finn to manage to draw a weapon, but Finn did not plan to. He Force Pushes the demon with both hands.

The Loyalist has to go all-out. Both Finn and he draw their blasters and the loyal warrior fires his own first. Finn dodges the rapid shots by rolling and then fires his own blaster, missing every shot by a mile.

The Loyalist knows Finn was always the better shot, just like he was always the better duelist. So, he is surprised.

"Something is wrong" he thinks. "He was not aiming at me."

He looks around and sees blaster bolts around him, aiming straight to him. "Nice try, Finn... I knew something was wrong because I know you."

"I know."

All blaster bolts come at the Loyalist at once, who is prepared... but Finn fires a second volley of blaster bolts, spraying a little to make sure he will not miss all shots.

The Loyalist is cornered. He has only one way to escape...

He charges his Riot Baton with his new powers and sends forth red laser blades that manage to stop blaster bolts. One hits Finn in the arm, but fails to kill him. Then the Loyalist charges with the baton and Finn parries with his saber.

The Trooper spins his baton around in a vertical circle rapidly. Finn again struggles to parry all the strikes.

"You didn't even know these villagers! They were shooting at us! Shooting at Slip! Why did you refuse to act like the model Trooper you were? What did you accomplish? You will be only known as a fool, as someone who helps people without even knowing them!"

He disarms Finn and strikes him in the chest. Then he lands three kicks and a devastating uppercut.

Finn is knocked down, but grabs his saber with the Force and manages to strike the Loyalist in the legs. Then he kicks him and lands three saber strikes, but the fourth is blocked and the saber crosses with the baton again and again.

Finn parries a strike, but his riposte is blocked. The Loyalist performs a spin that staggers Finn for a second, allowing the demon to land a hit in the stomach. Finn breaks away and fires his blaster, but his opponent avoids all the shots and returns fire.

Then he casts a stream of Hellfire, but the Traitor rolls to the left, gets too close to his enemy and slashes him three times, launches him in the air, shoots him twice, jumps and slams him to the floor.

He gets a little too aggressive, his next attack is parried and he gets kicked backwards.

The Loyalist performs a Leap Attack, but the Jedi parries and pushes him back. His speed is enhanced with the Force, and it allows him to keep up with the fearsome demon.

When he starts getting overpowered, he jumps back and then does a Leap Attack. The Loyalist jumps sideways and does a jab with his Riot Baton.

Finn barely blocks it and reels backwards. The Loyalist gives him a flying kick. Then he is about to do a finishing strike, but Finn rolls sideways and with the Force sends many, many small stones at the warrior.

The Loyalist's Hellfire is able to turn all projectiles to cinder, but doesn't hit the Jedi who gets up and fires his blaster once more. Nines dodges the attack and leaps after Finn, but the General dodges the attack and keeps shooting while going backwards.

The demon dashes faster than the human eye can ses and dodges all blaster bolts. He gets close and swings his baton, but Finn ducks and lands a shot in point blank range. It stuns the demon for two seconds, allowing his rival to land three good saber slashes and a kick.

The Loyalist is knocked backwards a bit and retaliates by spinning. The spin attack is devastating, but Finn jumps away and he does the same when the Loyalist follows up with Hellfire.

The dark warrior fires his blaster rapidly, but Finn blocks all the strikes and shoots six times. Nines dodges them all and fires more laser blades. Two graze Finn, who throws the enemy away with the Force. Nines lands on his feet and blocks some blaster bolts.

Then they dart at each other and Finn is only able to parry the first strike due to the Force enhancing his senses. He proceeds to defend himself against the consecutive attacks until he parries a blow and sees a small opening for a jab in the enemy's shoulder.

Enraged, the Loyalist strikes him with his Riot Baton to knock him back and then with another stream of Hellfire he sets the young General ablaze!

Finn starts rolling, while avoiding blaster bolts. He can't take another hit like that.

"You are a false idol! You try to inspire people to betray their superiors!"

Finn gets up and shoots him in the knee. "No. I inspire them to stand up for themselves. To decide for themselves!"

The blue saber crosses with the Riot Baton once more. The two warriors try to push each other back with all their might. Nines seems to be winning for a moment.

"Nines... it's a shame we had to be in this circle. A shame they turned you in this. You are innocent."

Nines is distracted for one second and loses the clash, getting stabbed in the heart.

"Ugh... you... beat me. I want a last question. Did you... mean those last words."

"Yes, Nines. I did. The First Order and the Black Legion ruined an innocent child and made them a killer like you. Again, I wanted us two to be friends... but only if we were both free. I hope you enjoyed this fight."

"I did. Farewell, my friend. Farewell, Finn."

The two men hug each other as the Loyalist perishes.

Five minutes later, Finn and Leah keep going. Both find hot springs which heal them gradually. They had stripped naked and were happy to be separate for once.

Another minute passes. Finn and Leah see the same message simultaneously.

THERE ARE MORE HORRORS FOR YOU TO CONQUER

I STUDIED BOTH OF YOU WELL

CAN YOU FACE YOUR GREATEST FEARS?

Leah gets confronted by eight Twillit Messengers. These are beasts made of shadow, the parasitic carriers of Zant's will, with vague shape.

As it turns out, Zant sent some of his own troops to deal with the troublesome duo. He did not say it, but those Aeralfos were also his own minions, not Al Astor's.

Leah attacks the Shadow Beasts in wolf form with the Seven-Sided Strike. Now only one of these pests remains. However, it leaves a wail so terrifying that paralyzes Leah. But the worst thing is what follows. This scream was to revive all seven beasts!

She realizes she can't leave only one alive. She learned something new too, the Sonic Overdrive. A punch so fast it creates a sonic projectile and far stronger than a regular punch. She uses it at a Shadow Beast and sends it flying. Then she kills it with her steel pipe.

Only then does the woman change back into a wolf. And she performs the Seven-Sided Strike once more.

As all seven enemies drop dead, all eight corpses turn to black dust.

Leah leaves a sigh of relief and keeps going.

Finn also learned a new technique, the Force Resolve. He can now use the Force to be twice as strong, but it will wear him out much faster.

After Nines and the healing from the hot spring, three Shadow Beasts feel like a joke. Finn kills the two of them with his saber. The third does manage to revive the other two with its wail, but Finn utilizes the fact his lightsaber can kill them in one hit and with a spin attack beats them all simultaneously.

However, the next creature he sees makes him step back in fear.

Leah encounters the last person she would ever want to see again. The most evil member of her old pack, the one who always made her feel like a failure and, when rejected by a woman, hit on her newborn baby. The one who planned to get all of his pack killed to save a kid by running away from danger.

"Jacob? You are dead! How are you still alive! And how are you so black?"

"Do you know how I missed you, worthless woman? Not at all! You ramblings about how the imprints are oh so evil make me sick. You screw everything up!"

"Likewise."

This is not just Jacob. It's actually a shadow made by Zant, one with the memories and all the abilities of the real person. It's an incarnation of Jacob's evil and acts like the real deal.

The woman and the shadow charge at each other, much faster than the human eye can see, and trade a very strong right hook.

Jacob was genetically bigger and stronger than Leah, and as a shadow he is slightly tougher than even before! He recovers first and punches her gut. Then with another hook he brings her down to the floor.

"I wanted to do this to you since you made Bella cry!"

He kicks her repeatedly while she is down. She knows he is not planning to show any mercy.

But she is still the fast one and grabs his foot, smashing his back to the floor.

"I never liked Bella, and did not scold Finn when he defended himself. But you still treated her worse! You assaulted her, mocked her after breaking her hand while you started it, and then tried to kill and then marry her child after rejection! Don't pretend you are a paragon of virtue!"

As Jacob gets up, he gets a left hook to the face. Leah starts wailing on him. "This is for treating me like garbage for being a girl!"

Jacob manages to catch a punch and kick her in the leg.

"You should have stayed in the kitchen, like Emily. No, that's not the reason! It's that you refused to move on from Sam! You were still pining on him and we had to hear you whining about how poor you got rejected. Well, you deserved it!"

"But now I got..."

"Lord Zant, the one who gave me a second chance, told me about your little placeholder. Oh, he will be punished too."

Finn confronts another shadow. This one is from Kylo Ren, but no Ben inside him. His actions were enough to have his malice incarnated and strong, only missing the Force Healing, for he could only use it as Ben Solo.

"You want a rematch? This is a shame... Even Rey knew you were too weak to stand up to me. She wanted to keep you safe, and is not going to do so this time."

"Well, Kylo, mentally you are the weak one. You asked for pity for your war crimes. I did not ask for the abuse I got. I am not afraid of you anymore!"

"You should be, Traitor!"

Finn tries to read his mind, but Kylo blocks it effortlessly and tries to invade his. His mental invasion was a torture both Poe and Rey described as agony, and Finn suddenly becomes scared, trying to get the abuser of him and his friends out of his head.

"Why don't you give up? You are a worthless traitor, with a scar in the back reserved for cowards!"

Finn's fear weakens his mental defenses... But he remembers his battle with Benjamin the vampire. How Finn stood up to Kylo and basically helped Rey. How he broke his own conditioning.

He fills his mind with positive thoughts, which include but aren't limited to Kylo's evil getting punished.

And, to the shadow's surprise, Finn manages to get Kylo out of his head.

Ren draws his red crossguard saber and Finn his blue one.

"Your head... It belongs to me!"

"Come and get it, asshole!"

And the sabers clash!

Kylo remembers Finn far weaker and so holds back.

"You are not worthy of Rey. You should stick to screaming her name!"

"I know."

Finn effortlessly blocks the sloppy, one-handed strikes of Kylo, even though Ren is not injured this time.

Kylo parries two saber strikes and manages to push Finn back a little.

"You are but Rey's dog. No matter how you treat her, you are a traitor who lied once about your past! She trusts me more! She went after me! She knows only I know her!"

"And what does that prove? Rey is not a trophy, never was. Her stance proved simply that she can make big mistakes!"

Finn manages to land a jab at Kylo's shoulder. Instead of backing away like the last time, he keeps attacking relentlessly. So, he manages to land a second hit in the big man's torso and a third one at his leg!

Kylo growls at him. "You don't understand! I am the only victim here. You are just a number! A traitor!"

Finn kicks him in the stomach and with the Force he sends him away. Then he draws his blaster and shoots!

The shadow of the Supreme Leader realizes Finn is far more dangerous than on Starkiller, so he goes all-out. He stops the blaster bolt in mid-air and then sends it back to Finn, who deflects with his saber. That was a distraction though, as Kylo uses the Force and launches Finn to the ceiling!

Then he slams him violently into a wall and tries to invade his mind again. "You will not defy me, Traitor. I am the leader of the First Order, and you are a mistake that must be purged!"

Kylo is filled with hate and malice for this man, and wants to rip him apart. He attacks with Force Lightning, reminding Finn of his time with Rose as the bolt hits him.

Then the patricidal monster dashes at the young man and goes for his head with his saber, but Finn parries the blow and they Force Push each other backwards. The shadow gets up first.

"After I kill you, Rey will have no option but to be with me."

Meanwhile, Leah has still to deal with someone who handles rejection even worse.

Jacob gives her an uppercut and then a kick in the stomach. "This is for having to hear about your insufferable thoughts in the past!"

Leah stabs the shadow with the wooden stake. "Shut up, hypocrite! You are in no place to tell anyone how to handle rejection." She attacks the other werewolf with her stake and hits him multiple times. Then she lands a Sonic Overdrive directly at the incarnation of Jacob's malice, through his face.

The force of the attack and the sonic wave knock the monster backwards.

However, the shadow regains his shape immediately, in spite of taking a lot of damage. He charges like the mighty Minotaur of the Labyrinth and goes for a devastating punch, but Leah manages to duck and sees an opening.

"ORA! ORA ORA ORA ORA ORA ORA ORA ORA ORA!"

Jacob's shadow still manages one lucky hit and Leah flinches. He throws multiple quick punches, but she dodges and manages to dart behind him, grab him and smash his back into her right knee. Then she uses her steel pipe and starts battering him, but he manages to catch it and pry it from her hands.

Then he strikes her in the cheek, drawing blood.

"This will teach you to disrespect our traditions!"

He strikes her other cheek too.

"To disrespect your Alphas! Nobody likes you! Nobody cares about you!"

Leah is dizzy, but Jacob strikes her once more. "The man you loved left you, so you decided to try and ruin the bonds of everyone else!"

Leah falls to her knees, Jacob raises his stolen weapon to finish her off.

"You will not screw anything more up!"

Leah focuses with what power she has left and manages to catch the pipe going straight at her. The surprise Jacob has gives Leah a second. A precious second. She looks at him with a look of pure hatred and fury, as she is watching someone who hit on a newborn child of another species.

"Please, Leah! I allowed you to stay in my pack, rega..."

CRACK!

Leah gives him her strongest of all punches, one similar to those which shake the ground, directly at his face. She regains her pipe, while the shadow is sent flying backwards, desperately trying to shape itself again.

"Correction. I am against abuse, not love."

Jacob however, has another trick up his sleeve. He changes into a big wolf. A wolf physically stronger than her. He was always the toughest in the pack, being from a line of Alphas.

He lunges at her, and since in wolf form he surpasses her human form even in speed, he strikes and slaps her with his paw very hard.

She has only one choice. To turn into a wolf herself.

[Eclipse](https://youtu.be/PibXNuayG94)

Finn and Kylo keep fighting with their sabers. The red crossguard one and the blue one clash rapidly, and the former manages to strike flesh, Finn's ribs. The black man jumps backwards, forcing the shadow to give chase and do a reckless leap attack.

Finn sidesteps and uses the Force to make sure the shadow does not land on his feet. Then he uses the Microwave Beam to strike the enemy, which does manage to graze him and deal some damage.

Kylo freezes Finn with the Force and, as his enemy is helpless, slashes him across the chest. Then he throws him on the floor telekinetically.

"You won't have an easy death, Traitor."

He raises his saber to stab him in the heart, but Finn uses the Force himself and tosses him backwards.

"Or any death at all."

Finn fires his blaster seven times and guides all bolts with the Force. Kylo effortlessly stops all of them.

"Now you will say: I can freeze all blaster bolts you send me. Blasters are useless."

"I can freeze all blaster bolts you send me. Blasters are useless."

Finn fires some more which are predictably stopped, though Finn does manage to guide them in different angles.

"Congratulations. Now to get me with your only weapon, you have to pass through the fence you made yourself."

Kylo sees his enemy, the opposite of himself, about to charge the Microwave Beam. He can't just bat the bolts with his saber. But he can send them away all at once and does so. Finn immediately fires the weapon.

Kylo instinctively raises his saber to block. It does absorb part of the beam, but its sheer power still knocks him down. The beam also destroys the blaster bolts coming at Finn, except one that strikes his leg.

Kylo recovers and freezes Finn with the Force.

"You are skilled, well trained! But you are still weak!"

He charges and performs the same disarming strike he beat Finn with on Starkiller. However, the Jedi manages to break free of his grip and parry at the last moment. It turns into a saberlock, one where Kylo still has the upper hand.

"I am Darth Vader's worthy heir. I am the hero the Galaxy needs, not you!"

The sabers get close to Finn's throat, the small edges of Kylo Ren's red saber wounding the Jedi's shoulder.

Finn can't lose this struggle. He has received enough wounds, and the strike will be lethal if it happens. He is sweating. For a moment, he is back to Starkiller, risking his life for an innocent woman, knowing he has no chance to defeat Kylo.

No. He has to win this time.

As he defeated Benjamin in Egypt.

[Determination](https://youtu.be/qrw3NYx2YQ0)

"No. I... refuse to give up!"

The former Stormtrooper suddenly gets twice as powerful, his instinct kicking in.

"Where does this resolve come from?" Kylo's shadow wonders.

Finn starts pushing Kylo back, the Force helping him overpower the towering shadow. He actually manages to repel the beast and slash him across the chest. Angry for all the innocent lives Kylo has taken, even more for the treatment he got in return, Finn keeps slashing, reminding Kylo of Rey.

"This time, nobody will heal you, you disgusting piece of shit!" Finn shouts as he keeps striking.

Kylo barely parries one strike, but the second one strikes home. "This is for everything you did to Rey!"

One more slash. "This is for calling me a traitor, while betraying everyone you could!"

"But... But I was wronged. I..."

"You are complaining because Luke thought of killing you. You had a loving family and they are all dead because of you! I? I was taken from my family to serve as YOUR cannon fodder! And complained less than you did!" Finn kicks the abusive murderer in the solar plexus.

"That was for the scar in the back! Come on! I am no longer afraid of you, Kylo!"

The shadow gets up and attacks, but the strike is parried and Finn kicks him in the stomach. "This is for invading the minds of Poe and Rey!"

"But... But Rey trusts me more..."

"Even though it's her loss, you gaslit her a lot. You are not blameless. You also had choices, Kylo. And kept getting rewarded for doing the wrong thing."

The shadow tries to speak, but gets interrupted.

"Next you will say: I can change!"

"I... I can change!"

"No, you can't and won't."

Finn doesn't know that this shadow contains only Kylo's hate and malice, without the traits of Ben. But the lie does not pass because Kylo had stabbed everyone in the back. Also, Finn suspected the truth because Ben would be more remorseful after Exegol in the start of the duel.

The shadow tries one last attack, but gets stabbed in the chest.

"How could... rubbish like you... beat me?"

[Eclipse](https://youtu.be/PibXNuayG94)

Meanwhile, Leah is in the doghouse. Trying and failing to overpower Jacob's shadow even in her wolf form, the woman started running to tire the bigger wolf out. Right as Finn won that saberlock, Jacob started getting tired. She runs a circle around him and he starts getting confused. That's her chance to strike. She bites hard in his neck and strikes him with multiple claw swipes, but he backhands her with his front paw and then bites hard on her leg. She is bleeding, but gives him more rapid strikes. He jumps on her, knocks her down and slashes her across the back.

But she throws the unworthy Alpha off her back and then leaps high, biting on his belly. She grabs hold of Jacob and starts rapid bites on his underside.

But he tosses her like a sack of potatoes backwards and lunges at her to take her life!

She barely avoids the attack and pounces on him, unleashing a lot of rapid attacks!

She still gets thrown away and both revert to human forms.

Jacob has one more trick up his sleeve. The one Leah fears the most.

**_The Alpha Order._ **

In her old pack, the woman had to do what she was told. The Order forced the bodies of the wolves to obey, even if they disagreed.

"I order you to stand where you belong! On! Your! Knees!"

Leah kneels out of fear.

"And now," the shadow orders, "put a hand in your neck and kill yourself!"

Leah had been frozen in fear... But she does not see her hand moving.

"I order you! Choke yourself!"

"No."

Leah said it. She disobeyed an Alpha Order... But how?

Then it all clicked. The real Jacob is dead. This is a shadow that happens to have his mind or soul. Besides, she was now her own Alpha and immune to this. She also made sure to use it only once, which got her and only her captured the last time she was here.

This means...

[A stranger I remain](https://youtu.be/h-rj8HVW3PQ)

"I am not going to kill myself. Your orders are no longer binding me! I will not do anything you say ever again!"

Leah faces her slaver without any fear anymore. He, on the other hand, feels a mix of horror and rage.

"I will make you obey, you bitch!"

Both move at full speed. If Jacob hits first, it will knock Leah out for sure, he puts all of his strength to a flesh-piercing punch.

But he always underestimated her speed, which surpassed his even before her massive training.

Leah lands the first strike. "I will give you what you deserve, you child grooming, abusive, cowardly tyrant. ORA ORA ORA ORA ORA ORA ORA ORA ORA ORA ORA ORA ORA ORA ORA ORA ORA ORA ORA ORA ORA ORA ORA ORA ORA ORA ORA ORA ORA ORA ORA ORA ORA ORA ORA ORA ORA ORA ORA ORA ORA ORA ORA ORA ORA ORA ORA ORA ORA ORA ORA ORA ORA ORA ORA ORA ORA ORA ORA ORA ORA ORA ORA! **ORAAAA!** "

The shadow is just as durable, even a little more, than the real Jacob. But the beating is too much for him and the last punch goes through his empty chest.

Jacob is dead, and no threat to Leah anymore.

She climbs one more floor, where she spots a Vampire Sniper about to shoot a Silver Bullet.

She attacks with the Sonic Overdrive and the sound wave strikes the vampire. Then she dashes before he recovers and stakes him in the heart.

She keeps going when she sees a bigger room, with no wall of flesh.

Moments later, a Stygian is sent flying near her from an unseen force.

And Leah sees the first person she would want to be close to right now.

Finn.

The two conquered their fears. They have become stronger because of that. Victorious, they embrace each other. And don't let go for a minute.

But, as they continue, a nasty surpirse is waiting.

A big horde of vampires, led by Vlad and Fang themselves.

"Those fights must have made you two tired."

"I want to see how long will the lovebrids last, Fang."

And Finn and Leah, with no fear in sight, charge at the army. Ready to take them _all._

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Wow, this chapter got big! But it's climax, so I have no regrets. 
> 
> Did you like Rey vs the Grim Reaper? Hope so, it's her last fight in this story.
> 
> Best moment of Finn? Or Leah? Or the rest? 
> 
> Did you like the battle against the shadows? Was the silver wolf a good match for Leah? Did the Loyalist make a good return? 
> 
> Next chapter will have the final boss!


	39. Bad news

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Finn and Leah are one step away from their destiny! Alastor is waiting for them, but can they reach, let alone actually defeat him?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This is it, guys! I hope you enjoyed the adventures of Stormwolf! The end of "Path of a Rebel", the Fall of Volterra, ALL of this story, all lead up to this. 
> 
> Can they do the impossible?

[Mayhem](https://youtu.be/9v6V95LymmQ)

The vampire army charges all at once at Finn and Leah. The two fearlessly fight back! Finn slashes a vampire with his saber, cutting through him like butter, while Leah gives a very strong left hook to another bloodsucker and knocks him down. Then she unleashes the Sonic Overdrive, punching through an undead's pale face and knocking five back with the sonar wave, while Finn draws the Microwave Beam and manages to instantly fry six fanged predators at once.

Leah lands multiple rapid jabs at a brunette vampire woman using her wooden stake. Then she punches the ground and creates a small tremor. Finn uses the Force Resolve and manages to quickly overpower four Vampire Infantrymen with his lightsaber.

People might never remember what these two did. They might hate the two for getting in the way of racial purity and abusive fantasy. In the end, they could still be the selfish, worthless traitors they always were.

But they know the truth, and they can share it with each other. And even if they die and are remembered as fools, they still did a lot.

Leah clobbers a vampire with her steel pipe, and proceeds to duel with a Vampire Infantryman, while Finn unloads a round of blaster bolts at a regular vampire and barely kills her.

However, they put a lot of effort at this. The vampires aren't cannon fodder, and soon Finn and Leah are tired. Their advance becomes increasingly slower. Leah actually gets some blood drained by a vampire's bite and an uppercut sends her backwards. Finn is also jabbed by an Infantryman's spear and punched backwards. He pushes seven vampires with the Force, but they all recover.

Clearwater knows she has only one choice.

To use a Garlic Bomb.

She throws it and it explodes. It can merely stun most creatures, but is lethal to vampires and blown up right in the middle of them. Eleven bloodsuckers, who would have lived and eaten people for hundreds of more years, are obliterated by the bomb.

Leah turns into a wolf and performs the Seven Sided Strike, taking out seven more enemies, while Finn fires the Microwave Beam once more and strikes four fearsome foes. Leah bites the arm of a Maid off, but another one strikes her with her broom. As the vampires gang up on the she-wolf, Finn rushes to help, throwing some adversaries sideways with the Force, but a Vampire Maid grabs him from behind and tries to immobilize him. He tries to break free, but another one slaps him.

"Can I taste his blood a little bit, sister?"

"Of course!"

As the Maid approaches her prey with a thirsty look in her eyes and touches his face, an ultraviolet beam passes through her body and she drops dead.

[Complete Mayhem](https://youtu.be/8-DUYeqAo-k)

And Poe Dameron enters the room, along with the former Stormtroopers and the two flamethrower soldiers. Q follows with the Nutty Poet, Virago and Gray, while Leah's pack also enters the fight, led by Embry and Greyfur. BB-8, Little Finn and Kallie also attack the vampires. Embry manages to get to the vampires who were attacking Leah and rip the head of one off. Then he beats up another, allowing Leah to get a window of recovery.

Two female former Stormtroopers try to shoot an immortal, but he dodges the shots and is about to eat one. Greyfur decapitates the monster with his teeth and then claws another. An Infantryman grazes him with a thrown knife, but Greyfur gets close and cuts off his head too. Then he starts punching his mate.

The flamethrower soldiers see a Bride killing a werewolf effortlessly and attack, both really enraged. The Brides are even stronger than the Infantry, but still flammable vampires in flammable wedding dresses.

After Finn and Leah are saved, they keep advancing themselves. The Quileute blocks a sword slash with her pipe and strikes her assailant directly in the face. Finn uses the Force to deflect three knives and with his lightsaber cuts a vampire in half.

BB-8 electrocutes a Vampire Maid to stun her, then he uses his torch to set her on fire. "My clothes! My clothes!"

The Nutty Poet has painted a flamethrower and burns three vampires, while Gray is fighting a Vampire Elder. Virago uses her Orca Swords and manages to chop a vampire's arm off. Then she blocks the bloodsucker's other hand with her blades.

Q shoots two vampires at once with his UV Beams, then he uses the Spydor Mines to weaken five more.

A vampire punches a werewolf and drinks his blood, but Greyfur charges from the left and tears the killer's throat off with his teeth. A Vampire Maid sees a former Stormtrooper injuring a vampire with a blaster bolt to the head and sends him flying and unable to fight with a spinning gust of wind.

The vampire horde is thinning. Time for the Vampire Lords to take action, as Vlad summons a wave of Stalfos and creates tombstones that drop on the heads of the heroes. Finn barely saves the lives of two of his men by using the Force to send a tombstone which was above them at a vampire, who recovered immediately and charged right at him. Finn cuts him in half with his lightsaber. Then he stakes the upper body because it was about to land one last attack.

The Vampire Infantry fire a hail of knives at Stormwolf. The Nutty Poet uses an Ice Wall and blocks all of them. An Infantryman effortlessly punches through, but the Poet uses her flamethrower and burns his arm off.

Suddenly, ice from her own wall forms a thick stalagmite, bigger than the Poet herself, and manages to emerge through her, knocking her unconscious instantly!

Finn stops his advance and turns back. "No... no, no, no!"

He cuts the pole of ice with his saber, starts melting it with the blade's heat and gives her his penultimate herb right before she bleeds to death.

Now it's not the time to curse himself for not learning Force Healing. If he was a second too late now, the Poet would be dead.

"Take her away from the fight! Q! Bring her back to thd ship! Quickly! These herbs aren't so powerful, I simply delayed her death for a while! Get her back, now!"

And a gust of wind sends him flying backwards.

Finn glares at the red eyes of the bloodsuckers.

"When I killed Pryde and dealt the final blow that stopped his fleet... I was not nearly as strong and pissed as now."

And he performs his most powerful Force Push with both hands, sending so many enemies flying backwards that the way to the enemy generals is open for some precious moments!

However, because this was beyond Finn's limits, he drops to his knees and Poe advances to defend him while he recovers. The Jedi managed still to give the advantage to his troops to shoot the vampires and the Stalfos, and the werewolves, led by Leah, immediately seized the opportunity and finished off a third of all the enemies before they could recover!

Greyfur dodges a gust of wind and charges at a Vampire Maid, punching and biting her to death. Then he rips the throat of two more vampires. Gray uses the Gunblade to slash a Stalfos and shoot him in the head mortally, and then she shoves her weapon into a vampire's eye.

Vlad draws a sword made of bones. But Fang places a hand in front of him.

"We are losing this battle right now. We need something very devastating in order to regain the upper hand."

He raises both hands in the sky. "Ice Storm!"

Massive chunks of ice fall from the sky very close to each other, at great speeds, to the point they can be considered one very destructive projectile with a colossal area of effect.

They also freeze everyone hit by it, while dealing massive damage. Twelve werewolves and former Stormtroopers die, while Gray is also stuck and frozen, knocked unconscious. One of the victims was a flamethrower soldier, whose weapon still did not save him from the cold attack. Embry, who was choking a Bride, trying to break her neck, was also frozen solid and the Bride's lightning takes him out of the fight too.

Some vampires are also struck, but Fang had good reasons not to care. Namely, vampires were only struck by the force of the blow which they can easily recover from, they are immune to ice. No vampire can freeze.

However, he leaves himself open for a little bit and barely dodges the UV ray from Poe Dameron, in fact he gets grazed just enough to feel it.

Poe's attack also left him open. He dodged straight to Leah, who, having the anger of all of Fang's victims, punches him straight in the face, drawing blood!

She keeps punching, however Fang is no ordinary vampire. He manages to block a strong hit and actually freeze Leah's right arm. Then he also freezes Leah's left arm and creates a sword made of ice, stabbing her.

"Not many people kill Vampire Lords, but you did. If you think I will hold back... you are wrong. Dead wrong."

Then he removes the sword and is about to cut off her head. However, Poe manages to hit his leg! Fang yelps in pain and fires a ray of ice, freezing Poe solid. But BB-8 uses his torch and manages to melt the ice, while Leah takes her steel pipe and smashes the icy blade. Then she strikes the Vampire Lord in the neck.

Finn rushes to help, but some swords made of bones ambush him. He deflects most of them with the Force, but one manages to stab him. And Vlad comes towards him, sending a massive hammer of bones, which Finn avoids. Then the General has to face four Stalfos the Vampire Lord summons. He manages to kill one, but a tombstone is created right above him and the Jedi barely rolls away, having sensed it with the Force. Then he shoots at Vlad, who raises a wall of bones and blocks the attack.

As Finn is fighting Vlad, Poe and BB-8 are surrounded by bloodsuckers. BB-8 electrocutes and torches some, while Poe fires his UV Beam. However, they still get closer. Dameron immediately releases a secret weapon. His own Garlic Bombs, two of them in opposite directions. Even a Bride, directly hit, is defeated, though she had been struck by BB-8's torch before.

Greyfur confronts a Vampire Warrior. Heavier than the Infantry, these vampires are armed with big swords and shields. The powerful werewolf charges at the elite fighter, but he swings his broadsword and slashes him across the torso.

Greyfur dodges the next strike and attacks from the left with four claw swipes. However, the warrior blocks all the attacks with his thick orange shield and prepares a spin, but Greyfur jumps backwards and barely avoids the heavy attack.

Then he lunges from the right and bites the heavy vampire _hard_ in the sword arm. Then he lands multiple punches in the bloodsucker's face. However, he gets slashed in the leg.

The Vampire Warrior raises his sword to lop off the strong werewolf's head, but two former Stormtroopers shoot him with their blasters at the same point rapidly until they manage to burn through the man's back.

The big bloodsucker turns and cuts both in two with one swing of his sword. Enraged, Greyfur grabs the vampire by the throat and knees his back. Then he slams his head into the ground.

The Vampire Warrior breaks free and violently swings his sword. One strike manages to hit the werewolf and injure him further. But the elite wolf dodges the next swings and manages to bite the vampire once. Then he throws five punches, but the last three are blocked by the sturdy shield and the red-eyed undead bashes Greyfur with it! Then he charges with his shield and strikes him once more before stabbing him with his blade.

Leah swings her steel pipe once more, but Fang catches it with his bare hands, freezes the weapon completely and smashes it to pieces! Then he creates a spear made of ice and lands multiple rapid jabs.

"The boss will be glad to see your head!"

Finn attacks with his saber, but Vlad avoids the attack effortlessly and punches him in the side. Then he fires a lot of very powerful skulls, and Finn dodges and deflects some. However, one manages to strike him.

Vlad attempts to break his spine in two by controlling it before he recovers. However, Finn's backbone is metal and Vlad's bone magic is ineffective. The Jedi fires the Microwave Beam, but Vlad raises a wall of bones thick enough to fully block the attack and then summons some Stalfos. Finn starts fighting them with his saber, but Vlad moves faster than the human eye can see, gets behind him and immoblizes his legs, which are from actual bones.

Then he stabs him in the back with a blade made of bones.

Greyfur fights against the Vampire Warrior and three rounds have passed. The wolf utilizes his speed and ducks a slash. Then he sidesteps a vertical slash and gives a hard elbow. He proceeds to unleash a barrage of hooks and claw swipes, finishing off with a heavy uppercut that could kill an Imp in one hit.

The Warrior kicks him hard in the knee and then nearlt cuts his arm off with a sword slash, but Greyfur tackles him and lands multiple punches again until the shield bashes him. Then the wolf gets a jab at the shoulder, but bites the Vampire Warrior in the throat and finally manages to kill him with a karate chop that decapitates the savage beast.

He is very heavily wounded, but still has to fight on. He sees Finn in the doghouse, cutting a Stalfos in half but getting struck by another, and Vlad is about to drink his blood.

Faster than the human eye can see, Greyfur elbows Vlad and then belts him in the face. Then he throws him away from Finn and decks one of the Stalfos, while Finn uses the Force to make his legs move again and blocks a sword strike from another skeleton, cutting through his sword, and then counters with an upward strike that kills the Stalfos.

Vlad summons more Stalfos, but Greyfur moves faster than them or Finn and defeats all four new enemies alone. A vampire charges at him with a silver spear, but Greyfur dodges and decks that one too before breaking his neck.

However, Vlad unleashes the Bone Storm.

A rain of sharp bone projectiles, like needles except far more deadly, going straight at Finn and Greyfur.

The werewolf throws the human away and looks at him. Then he and only he gets pierced by the hard bone needles, bleeding faster than he can heal!

Neither Finn nor Virago can Force Heal him.

He charges at Vlad head first and gives him his most devastating bash, knowing he has nothing to lose anymore. The last time he used this, he killed a vampire in one hit. Now he directly hits Vlad at full force and sends him crashing into a wall, breaking one of the vampire's teeth.

The Vampire Lord throws some skulls to stall for time. Greyfur is too injured and one manages to hit him. Before Finn can do anything, one of the other vampires dashes fast and takes a blaster bolt for Vlad.

Leah sees this and that she has no chance to defeat Fang at his full power alone. She goes to help Greyfur, but Fang blocks her way with icy stalactites. Then he throws frost swords.

Vlad uses his magic to snap Greyfur's spine in half and then flies at full speed towards him. He raises his Bone Blade and what follows looks like slow motion to both Finn and Leah, but they can't stop it.

One swing of the sword, and the strong werewolf's head drops to the ground.

Enraged, Leah screams in righteous fury, and then punches _through_ the frost stalactites and gets close to Vlad.

Fang aims at her back with his Frost Ray, but Finn realizes what's wrong. He and Leah fought the wrong opponents. He immediately attacks Fang with the Force and sends him flying. Then he fires his Microwave Beam.

Fang blocks with an ice wall bigger and stronger than those of the Poet, which is also about to fire frost spikes. The heavy weapon manages to melt this heavy defense and strike the Vampire Lord, albeit weakened.

Leah manages to reach Vlad and attack before he can react! She unleashes a flurry of rapid punches in his face, even managing to grab the bloodsucker's sword.

Her blood is boiling, the Vampire Lord can literally smell the anger inside her. For a moment, because she breaks his nose with a Sonic Overdrive.

Vlad is sent flying backwards and summons four Stalfos, while two vampires rush to defend him. Leah shifts into her wolf form, dodges some tombstones and hits all enemies with the Seven-Sided Strike. Then she performs many rapid bites, but Vlad stabs her with floor spikes.

Leah turns back to human form, and before Vlad can break her spine, she manages to punch him once more.

"This is for Greyfur, you asshole! ORA ORA ORA ORA ORA ORA ORA ORA ORA ORA ORA ORA ORA ORA ORA ORA ORA ORA ORA ORA ORA ORA!"

Finn dodges some ice swords and fires his blaster. However, Fang creates some chunks of ice that deflect the blaster bolts and attacks with frost stalactites from above. Finn only avoids them by sensing them with the Force, but finds himself between two spiked ice walls that are quickly closing in!

They are too big and fast for him to repel with the Force, plus he will be exposed to further attacks of the Ice Master. He jumps backwards, and only through the Force does he jump far enough to avoid this attack... however, Fang uses a crossbow made of ice and fires ten arrows one after the other! Finn can't deflect more than two of them and three more hit and freeze him.

Then he punches him hard and sends an Ice Bomb to finish him off. Finn sends it back with the Force, but Fang doesn't get hurt, he instead sends a lot of icicles from many directions. Finn deflects some of them with the Force, but others injure him badly. He still grabs his Microwave Beam and fires it directly at the Vampire Lord. It actually melts the incoming icicles and wounds the bloodsucker really, really badly.

Leah goes for another punch, but Vlad found a way to defend himself. He surrounds himself with spikes made of bones. Leah gets hurt instead of him. And Vlad creates a sledgehammer and strikes her so hard she is sent flying backwards. Then he impales her with three spears in the chest, narrowly missing her heart.

Leah knows she can't touch him right now, or even get close. She has one Garlic Bomb left. He is a Vampire Lord.

There is no need to save the Garlic Bomb! She gets up and throws it directly at Vlad, smashing his spikes and devastating part of his body!

Vlad sends some homing skulls at her, which she tries to block. Her hands barely manage to do so, getting some bite marks. Vlad finds an opening and is about to bite her... but she shifts into her wolf form once more.

And uses a variation of her favorite move. Her last ability. The Focused Seven-Sided Strike, which allows her to rapidly hit a single enemy seven times. She has now completely mastered this technique and performs it at Vlad completely successfully, finally killing the Vampire Lord.

"Don't think you won... the boss is far more dangerous than us."

Finn barely avoids a frost shockwave and some ice beams. Then he uses the Force, picks up a flamethrower and manages to stop a hail of icicles by melting them. He senses a cold stalagmite being created under him and avoids it by jumping backwards.

However, some axes made of hard ice are launched from his sides. He stops one, but another wounds him and makes him bleed and freeze. Then Fang stabs him with his ice saber and freezes the flamethrower to render it useless.

However, BB-8 gets close to the two and melts the ice surrounding Finn, allowing him to stab Fang with his saber. The Vampire Lord kicks the small-round droid hard and then goes for a Frost Fist straight at him.

Only for Finn to shoot him in the back.

"I am your real opponent, Fang! Come at me!"

Fang has one last trick. Ice Armor. One that immediately regenerates even when struck with Finn's lightsaber. Finn gets far away and shoots ten blaster bolts. Then he stops them with the Force and fires them all at the Vampire Lord.

He expects the ice to melt from the heat. However, the ice becomes very thick and smooth, and instead of melting, the armor deflects all ten blaster bolts and one even grazes Finn!

Kallie has found her Ice Eggs to be worse than useless and her Spirit Net is more effective at the ghosts and Stalfos than the vampires. However, she uses the speargun to stake five vampires in the hearts from afar. She attempts the same to Fang... who freezes the spear in mid-air and fires an Ice Rocket. It directly hits Baikal and knocks her unconscious in one hit.

"No outside help!"

That's enough for Finn, who Force Pushes Fang backwards. This attack can't get stopped by armor!

Fang draws two swords of ice and charges at Finn, who does the same with his lightsaber.

Even though the ice is hard enough not to break by a regular sword, the saber still damages the blades. They still regenerate, though, making Fang fight Finn on equal grounds.

Fang is no fool. Seeing Finn catching his swords in a saberlock, he knows he is not going to win because the lightsaber's heat constantly will melt his blades faster than he can regenerate them. So, he creates arrows from his body armor, arrows that will hit Finn if he doesn't break the blade lock now.

Finn does break the lock... then he uses a move that was used first time by a youngling while in training, spinning around himself and his saber really, really fast! The Whirlwind of Destiny.

Multiple frost projectiles come straight at him, but the rapid spins block all of them and Finn approaches Fang too fast for him to run away. Fang tries to block with his blades, but they break before he can regenerate them. Even the ice armor is getting melted before it can be repaired!

And Finn manages to strike through the Vampire Lord's defenses, even his hard skin!

Then he decapitates Fang and stakes him in the heart.

"If these guys are so tough... how strong is the boss?"

Leah taps his shoulder lightly.

"Much, much worse."

"Poe, get the men back. We lost many in this fight, too many. I can't bear to see more dead. Thank you, Poe, for rescuing us, for everything you did for me and the Galaxy. I hope you understand... Leah and I must give the final fight alone."

"But we were in this together."

"Yes, we were and still are, my friend. You all saved us more than once, and you have our gratitude. I know you can handle yourself. You did an impressive job with those vampires. But... this enemy is too dangerous.

I am afraid, Poe. Afraid you will get hurt."

Finn and Poe hug.

"Promise me you will lead them to safety. Even if I get killed, I want you to continue my legacy, like you did with Leia. Like Jannah does back to the Galaxy. I hope she and all the Troopers reunite with their families. Give them a future. Be their leader. Someone to inspire them to bring justice."

"Finn... I understand what you are talking about. Can you please come back alive?"

"I will try."

"May the Force be with you."

"And with you, Poe."

Leah is silently mourning Greyfur and the other werewolves who lost their lives in these battles.

"I hate using the Alpha Order, but I must do so. I order all of you to retreat!"

"But... we will not leave you! Not again!"

"You must! If I die, you will still live! If Embry survives, tell him he is the new Alpha if I die. I trust him. I trust him the most."

Finn and Leah tearfully separate from the rest of their friends.

Just like the old times. The two fighting crime.

Leah is clenching her fists. "All this death and violence... all this injustice... we are going to end this here and now!"

They can sense the messages on the walls of the corridor they are in.

YOU MADE IT SO FAR, BUT YOU ARE STILL MORTALS

NOBODY WANTS ANYTHING TO DO WITH YOU

HUMANS ARE PARASITES AND YOU SHOULD NOT DEFEND THEM

EVEN IF WE KILL THEM ALL WITH A VIRUS, SOME WILL TRY TO BURY THEIR HEADS IN THE SAND

"I suppose you plan to do that."

WE DO

HUMANITY WILL EITHER IMPROVE OR DIE

YOU CAN DO NOTHING

YOU ARE A CANNON FODDER AND AN OMEGA. YOU CAN'T TOUCH US

In the corridors, there are some Medikits, likely for the Black Legion soldiers. Also money, healing potions, some detonators...

"Leah, I don't like this."

"Usually I am the bitter one. You suspect this is because we will need all of these, right?"

"Exactly. I know something big and ugly is coming."

Soon, the duo encounter two Shadow Priests, who summon some Lost Souls to assist them. Finn fires his blaster and puts those spirits out of their misery. A Shadow Priest, overly confident, charges at the Jedi with his hook and grazes him, but three saber strikes and the acolyte is dead. Leah punches through a Lost Soul and reaches the second Priest. He manages to wound her with his hook, but she breaks his arm.

"You damned heretic! Not only did you forsake the beliefs of your pack, you turned against your gods and masters as well! The Great One will make sure you are punished! If you defend these parasites, you will die with them!"

"After you, Father." And she snaps his neck easily.

And the two, having defeated the Priests, manage to reach the top. Where Finn finds out some tapes. Which have every little detail of the Stormtrooper Uprising history showed but glossed over. And his confrontation of Phasma. And many moments of Finn, Jannah and other troopers. Things the government tried to hide.

"Why do they want to erase me from history so much? I mean, they kept me getting abused by Rose, who thankfully apologized, and screaming Rey's name, but not taking charge when Rey was struggling in Starkiller, and not when I exposed Phasma's cowardice."

"Trust me, the vampires also portrayed me as an evil bitch for opposing their Chosen One and their abusive, human-eating tendecies."

"You were already their enemy! I hadn't done anything to them, these tapes include things that happened before the Fall of Volterra!"

"Maybe they fear you. Maybe they see you as a threat to their power, maybe they are afraid of what you could do to them. The same way they were afraid of me."

"Let's prove them right, Leah. Let's make them forbid our names even be mentioned."

Finn and Leah use their reflexes to get to some neon rails and go from one to another.

"Yeehaw! This is awesome!"

"You know we are going to our deaths, right?"

"Can't we just have some fun, Leah?"

"If we win!"

Pixelized Pac-Man ghosts come from the sky, and Finn shoots them as the two slide. Leah uses her Sonic Overdrive and takes out a ghost.

In the end, the two find a titanium crowbar. Leah grabs it, happy she can finally replace her lost pipe.

Stormwolf manages to get inside a colossal room, filled with sublimal messages and screens, so many screens. Showing things all over the world, including the Resistance's attempt to take on Lilith.

On a chair, a man sits.

"I was watching your every move, terrorists. What are you going to accomplish? Even with all of your power, you are still beneath Archdemons. And when I win, you two will still be but worthless punks."

Leah steps forward. "I have improved a lot since the last time, Al. And I am not alone this time."

"To reach my power, you will need thirty more years."

"And what if we win, Al?"

"Even if you win, you are still doomed. You are a bitch hated even by your own family, who makes innocent women cry like a petty bully! And he? Even one of his first real friends wanted nothing to do with him, he is less worthy in a Chosen One's eyes than an abusive warmonger. He is a selfish, useless traitor.

Then again, so are you, who insulted everyone in your pack constantly and got a packmate injured with your idiocy. You screw everything up.

My point? Even if you win, who will take your side? You can't inspire anybody to stand up to us! You can't expose me or the other Archdemons, I will cover it up by controlling everything. Even if you kill me? I will inspire more people than you ever will to attack my enemies. The Jews, Muslims, someone will be the scrapegoat apart from you, and people will want your head and start infighting again."

Leah does not care. She did not care about publicity. She only cares about giving Al what he had coming.

Faster than the two men can see, she lands her fastest, strongest punch at the Minister of Truth. He actually gets knocked back a little.

Leah throws and lands more rapid punches and kicks, even drawing blood, but Al grabs her by the throat.

"Don't interrupt me while I am talking, bitch!"

But Finn shoots him eight times with his blaster, forcing him to throw Leah at him.

Both rebel leaders get up quiclky, but Al Astor zaps them with his microphone laser.

"You need to try harder than that!"

[Bad news](https://youtu.be/b3pCai8PFCA)

Then he pulls back his free hand and unleashes a relatively slow but very strong attack. A red fist made of pixels. Finn and Leah jump at the opposite sides and dodge it. The former tries to read his mind, but the latter shields it effortlessly and attacks with his microphone laser again.

Finn blocks the beam with his lightsaber, giving Leah the opening to land a quick strike with her new crowbar. She lands more and more, but Al blocks one with his bare hands and gives a devastating punch, but the technique is awful and Leah dodges it, while it makes a crater to the ground.

Finn Force Pushes Al backwards and then shoots him with the Microwave Beam in mid-air.

It's a direct hit, but...

"Is that all you've got?"

And he punches the ground so hard he creates a quake far bigger than those of Leah.

Both warriors are knocked down and Al charges straight at the former Stormtrooper. Finn barely recovers and is about to swing his saber, but gets a hard punch in the face, drawing blood. Al follows with an uppercut that knocks Finn down again.

Leah interferes and lands a flying kick. Then she unleashes another barrage.

"ORA ORA ORA ORA ORA ORA ORA ORA ORA ORA ORA ORA ORA ORA ORA!"

But she becomes too aggressive and he manages to block a punch. Then with a hook he knocks her down.

But Finn throws him away with the Force.

Then he throws a detonator and Al blocks it with his hands. The explosion still wounds him and gives Leah an opening to land some good punches. She even gives a punch of these which create the small tremors, directly in his face. Then she uses her titanium crowbar and smacks Al repeatedly, while Finn stabs him in the back.

The Minister of Truth punches the ground again, knocking both down with a quake, and uses his microphone to electrocute Leah mercilessly.

However, Finn uses the Force to lift a computer that is in the room and throw it straight at the Archdemon.

To his surprise, the propagandist doesn't even flinch.

He instead fires beams from the microphone at both Finn and Leah at full speed. Leah dodges by jumping sideways at every shot, while Finn uses his saber to parry them. Al jumps high and performs a two-handed slam, but Leah barely avoids it, dashes at full speed and lands a Sonic Overdrive to his face.

Then they trade a right hook. The last time they did this, only Leah was knocked down. Now both reel backwards, Leah slightly more. Al Astor would recover first and punch through her...

But Finn shoots him with the Microwave Beam from the side and sends him flying!

"You are wrong about Leah. There are people who believe she is worthy and will protect her."

Finn's words made Leah's heart beat faster than ever before and he didn't know the whole reason. With her chin up, Leah recovers and charges.

Al prepares a rebuttal to Finn. "You? You are worthless yourself! You are just cannon fod..."

Leah punches him hard and breaks his glasses.

Then with an uppercut she knocks him down.

Al Astor is pissed.

How could they do this to him? How dared they defy him and the will of his god?

"Ugh... there is a reason... the Great One chose one of their best fighters to be the propagandist!"

The Archdemon takes his true form, the blue, muscular, red-eyed, horned giant. And roars louder and more fiercely than a hundred lions!!!

"You two stand against God's will! I will smite you in the Great One's behalf!"

"Or try to." Leah retorts.

Alastor punches the ground _hard_ , but both warriors dodge the attack... or think so, because they are struck by a blue shockwave. Then the powerful Archdemon creates giant hammers made of Hellfire.

"Chaos Hammers!"

One of them manages to hit Leah, badly injuring her and forcing her to take a healing herb, while the rest create shockwaves and fiery craters to the ground. Finn is forced to jump a shockwave towards a crater, and screams in pain.

However, the Force helps him avoid a powerful stream of Hellfire. He retaliates with his Microwave Beam, but Alastor actually _blocks it!_

Then he retaliates with red eye beams that Finn blocks with his lightsaber.

Leah jumps at the blue beast's back and strikes him with her crowbar. She doesn't draw blood, but he feels it and turns to punch her. She dodges the attack easily and lands a flying kick at his stomach, but he barely flinches.

Finn uses a detonator and guides it with the Force. In spite of their limited numbers and the Microwave Beam, they are still useful because they are faster and can be guided. The young Jedi manages to place the explosive in the back of the Archdemon's neck. As it's about to explode, Finn shoots six times with his blaster and guides the shots in Alastor's back.

All hits are direct, and the explosion actually manages to damage the demon!

The mighty high-ranking fiend retaliates with three hot streams of Hellfire and Finn struggles to dodge all of them. Leah lands a Sonic Overdrive and the direct hit does do some damage, but Alastor punches the ground twice and makes more shockwaves.

"You think you two are heroes? You are but fools, and the public knows you as such!"

Finn uses Force Resolve and fights with everything he has got. He manages to dodge a punch and actually reach Al and slash his arm with his saber, making a small cut. The Archdemon hits him with his eye beams and prepares a stream of Hellfire.

However, Leah gives her most powerful punch to the Archdemon. It does no damage, but manages to cause him to miss the shot. Leah shifts into her wolf form, knowing she can barely do a thing as a human. And she immediately starts with a Focused Seven-Sided Strike. All seven attacks wound the demon slightly, and leave him open to the Whirlwind of Fate!

The rapid strikes weaken the Archdemon and he actually gets to his knees. However the two heroes refuse to attack from the front because they know he will use an attack.

Instead, they attack quickly from the sides and wail on him until he recovers.

When he does, he jumps away and the landing creates another shockwave. Then he jumps towards Leah to crush her, but she dodges. She also jumps to avoid the predictable now shockwave and... still gets grazed by a pool of lava the Archdemon created by landing.

She lunges at his throat and he shields himself with his left arm. She bites the arm instead, but the brutish fiend feels what a human would feel if stung by a bee. Then she lets go and draws blood. She starts circling her opponent, waiting for an opening.

Finn tries to push him away with the Force, but he does not even move.

Alastor is completely focused on Leah and does not attack first, knowing Leah will dodge. He decides to taunt her instead.

"This wolf form is worthless. You lost with it to me last time. But that's not all. Due to this form, you got your dear old father **killed!** "

Finn is stunned. All this time they were together, she kept it a secret from him... but then he remembers he lied to Rey about his past as something he was never willing to be.

Leah viciously attacks Alastor with her teeth, lunging at terrifying speed. Finn can't read the demon's thoughts, but can read Leah's... now he sees why her old pack spoke about anger issues. They probably would not stop pressing her.

Finn realizes Alastor will now be too focused on Leah, and fires his Microwave Beam, sensing Leah's movements with the Force to avoid hitting her. He finally finds an opening and strikes, allowing Leah to land multiple violent bites at the Archdemon, drawing a lot of blood.

However, the blue horned giant gets up and throws Leah at some computers.

"Even if you two do prove to be saviors, who will empathise with you? Humans are even more corrupt than me! I don't want you getting in the way of the Great One. They won't get behind you because you are black and you are a red woman! Who can't even make children!"

"You are blue. They should be biased against you too, in that way!" Leah replies, back in her human form.

"Your next line is: That's why my disguise is a white man." Finn adds.

"That's why my disguise is a white man!"

Leah catches on immediately. "So, we can expose you if we show your true form!"

"Nobody will believe you! Many people who think they know far more than they do have put a lot of insane hoaxes. Some more, some less weird than my true form! And this place is isolated from Earth. Plus, you can pretend another demon is me."

He punches the ground, creating a shockwave, but both of his opponents dodge.

"After all, those know-it-alls will say this is the form of a Jew, Jews are for them aliens and demons and vampires. Exposing me is easier said than..."

Leah moves and strikes his foot with her crowbar, allowing Finn to throw a detonator at him.

"Good thing you talk too much."

The Minister of Truth scowls and uses a portal to send them to... a small port?

"Where are we?"

"I don't know, Finn, but we definitely haven't won. We have to find a way to get back."

Suddenly, they hear wild barks all around them.

Finn, stating the obvious again, mentions they have company.

Hellhounds emerge all around them. Leah changes into her wolf form and uses the Seven-Sided Strike to kill seven of them, while Finn uses his blaster and shoots two more dead. One lunges for a bite, but Finn dodges, draws his saber and decapitates the evil dog.

Due to her massive training, Leah has surpassed Hellhounds even in brute strength and easily overpowers one more of them.

Little do the two know, they are being recorded in the Boar News slaughtering "innocent little puppies".

"Here you see shocking footage of the terrorists known as "Stormwolf" in action. They might be talking on and on about how they are freedom fighters, but in practice you can see them butchering these poor dogs.

So, what do we know about Stormwolf? They are founded by two social outcasts and deviants with the names of Finn and Leah. They are both correctly accused with the most heinous crime, treachery. They betrayed their own families for no reason at all and united to terrorize the entire planet.

They started by murdering the Pope and a lot of men and women in Volterra. They also managed to make an angry mob blame the victims.

Let's start with Leah. She used to be the girlfriend of the leader of her tribe, known as Sam Uley. However, everything changed when he had fate bind him with her cousin. It's something called "imprint" and the truest of love. Both of them dearly loved each other.

But Leah, being a bitter and jealous woman, developed a senseless hate for all imprints and lied he was abusive to cover up her own evil. She insulted everyone in her pack, was basically a very petty bully who made innocent women cry."

Leah, meanwhile, manages to bite another Hellhound to death while Finn shoots one more.

Reinforcements come, a wave of regular Stygians and some vampire Agents with Magnums, to help the Hellhounds. Leah takes out some more canines with the Seven-Sided Strike, while Finn performs a Leap Attack to kill the first Stygian.

Al keeps speaking. "And she was a bully because she knew she was worthless without babies, and because everyone found true love except her, so she hated love in general. She also tried to steal the glory of one of her friends in more than one occasion."

Leah, meanwhile, uses her crowbar and smacks one of the vampiric Agents in the face.

"And, as you can see right now, she brutalized many police officers just doing their jobs and still does so now. All to provoke terror and destroy love."

Finn is fighting three Stygians at once with his lightsaber and winning. One of the vampires gets behind him and aims at his back. However, Leah rushes and gets between them, staking the Agent.

Al continues nonchalantly speaking. "The second terrorist leader is Finn. He deserted the army he was from because of cowardice and then started hitting on as many women as possible. Though he was sometimes rejected for being a compulsive liar.

He enjoys seducing and assaulting women, and has no problem slaughtering innocent civilians. For example, once he escaped prison, leading to the destruction of half of Cairo and many deaths of innocents. Right now, you can see him assaulting innocent cops, dogs and cosplayers."

As Leah punches the ground and takes out six stunned Stygians with her crowbar, Finn Force Pushes some Hellhounds and uses Whirlwind of Destiny to cleave through three Vampire Agents. However a bullet grazes the young man.

He Force Pushes a Vampire Agent towards a wall and Leah finishes him off with her wooden stake.

"Finn also burned the house of a noble lady who had treated him with nothing but kindness, and then Leah murdered the poor woman. Not to be outdone, the self-proclaimed Jedi assaulted the ruler of Egypt and killed him in cold blood. As you can see, he is splitting the skull of a dog in two. Someone this deranged would definitely be willing and able to kill even famous people.

They also travelled to Japan and endangered the wildlife and minorities, even making unique creatures extinct. A true hero was sent to stop them, but they escaped with the help of another criminal, the Nutty Poet, who does nothing but write poems that hate on true love.

Finally, Finn ruined the life of a rich child by killing her mother and driving her father to suicide. He and Leah killed many of her friends and also beat her to death because she didn't want to sleep with this fuckboy.

As you can realize, the world would benefit greatly from their non-existence."

Leah stakes another Vampire Agent and decapitates him with her bare hands, then throws the head at a Hellhound which she finishes off with a crowbar. Finn slashes a Stygian, parries a second one's strike and perforates it with a riposte. Leah lands a Sonic Overdrive at a Stygian's face, killing it and sending the last two Hellhounds flying backwards with the soundwave. Finn attacks a Vampire Agent with the Force and then fires his blaster seven times. He focuses all shots on the Agent's heart and wounds him badly, then he finishes him off with three more shots.

Finn launches a Stygian high with an upward slash, but sadly for him his next aerial strike kills the demon. He switches to blaster and shoots the last Vampire Agent, before landing with his saber again and stabbing him in the face! Meanwhile, Leah has clobbered the last two Hellhounds with her crowbar.

As the last enemy falls, the two find a gate and a healing potion each in crates. They drink it and get in the gate... which leads back to the top floor of the tower!

Leah immediately shifts back into her wolf form.

Alastor has some more tricks up his sleeve. "The real job I always had was not propagandist! It was executioner!" He laughs as guillotines made of Hellfire come from the ceiling to chop the heroes. Fortunately for the duo, they both dodge this attack. Unfortunately for them, the guillotines still made the ground hot. Restricting their movements for the next attack, the Chaos Hammers.

This torrent manages to directly hit Finn, while Leah dodges all the attacks... barely, with the exception of a small crater a guillotine had made. The human hurts so badly he consumes his last healing herb and throws both of his detonators that aren't the last one simultaneously, causing a mighty explosion that breaks Alastor's guard.

However, the Archdemon creates a neon fence all around him that hurts on contact, one he sends at Finn and Leah. Finn with the Force senses there are some gaps, and Leah with her enhanced senses tries to do the same... sadly for her, neon has no odor. She is lucky she manages with her superhuman sight to see a gap and get through just before she gets hit.

Alastor keeps taunting. "Dodge all you like, you are but insignificant mortals, while I am the greatest servant of the Black Legion!"

He punches the ground twice, creating predictably two blue shockwaves, then fires his eye beams at the two warriors.

"Why do you want to defend the people? To get loved? Fat chance! I just made sure to expose you slaughtering innocent cops and dogs! The people hate you more than ever now!"

Leah snarls at the Archdemon, turning back in her human form. "These were your minions and you know it!"

"Oh, Leah, always the compulsive liar!"

Leah jumps and lands five aerial kicks, then she lands to the ground and Finn shoots the blue giant in the red eyes!

"Argh! You cheated! I thought the Light had honor! Why don't you stick to screaming Rey's name, Finn? Or Leah's? Why do you want to fight?"

"If you think I am just a satelite to Rey, or Leah, you are wrong."

"But you want so much to protect the latter right now."

Finn shoots him in the face multiple times so he will not leave an opening.

"So? She is a great woman, and did nothing wrong! Not for me! As for Rey? The problem is her, not me, and probably Kylo for poisoning her mind!"

The moment Alastor hears Finn blaming Kylo for Rey's condition, he realizes Finn will figure out the truth about the Dyad with some more evidence.

He creates a giant red neon axe, much superior to even a Dread Knight's blades. And he starts slashing fast, creating red blades and wounding Leah.

Struggling to dodge the attacks, Finn tries to block one. After all, it's neon... yet it's so big and fast it breaks his defense and wounds him too, though weakened by his saber.

Leah attacks with the Sonic Overdrive and sends a sonar wave, which manages to stun the Arcdemon for two seconds. Then she takes one second to change into a wolf and lands another focused Seven-Sided Strike, while Finn gets stronger due to his resolve and stabs the beast in the knee.

He can't read Al's mind, but can read Leah's, who orders him to go for the legs, as she lunges at the powerful beast's throat. Finn slashes at the legs, but barely avoids a stomp that would have turned him into gibs. Leah lands about ten bites, but Alastor prys her off him. If not for Finn wounding the legs, the she-wolf would have been slammed into the giant's knee. Now the Minister of Truth opts to throw her away and thinks of a Chaos Buster, his strongest, most focused stream of Hellfire... but Finn keeps attacking, so he must get out of the picture first.

Alastor kicks him hard in the belly and then whips out the neon axe and strikes him so hard he gets knocked out. "You did well, but are still a human. Now, let's go for the woman who keeps getting on my nerves."

He performs his Chaos Buster, but due to the time wasted to attack Finn, Leah is prepared and easily avoids the fatal attack. The wall Leah used to be close to five seconds ago is no more.

Leah fights with all her anger, relentlessly attacking the demon, the Dark Side manifesting in something other than the Force. A little more of her anger and the Corruption can turn her friendship, love towards Finn into an imprint.

Her wrath is devouring her, but also makes her stronger than ever! She claws and bites rapidly in a series of attacks that would bring down even a Hell Knight in under a minute.

However, Alastor, in spite of recieving many wounds, is not worried. "Foolish girl... your anger blinds you! You are playing my own game, using your emotions for brute force! I am the Archdemon of Wrath!"

And he gives her his strongest punch in the face, breaking many teeth and drawing a lot of blood. Then with his axe he sends a lot of blades at her, and one manages to wound her. Alastor turns to Finn and raises the giant axe, about to cut off his head to make sure he does not recover. But Leah dashes with all of her remaining strength and lands another Focused Seven-Sided Strike. Then she changes to human form, consumes the last healing herb and some of the damage Alastor did is undone.

Then she attacks with her fists. "ORA ORA ORA ORA ORA ORA ORA ORA ORA ORA ORA ORA ORA ORA ORA ORA ORA ORA ORA ORA ORA ORA ORA!"

However, the demon's true form is way too tough. He does get hurt more than the first time they fought, and in a stronger form too, but is still able to retaliate by backhanding the woman and sending her backwards.

She thinks of fighting defensively, but her enemy is not going to let her. He aims his next Chaos Buster at Finn, not her. Faster than the human eye can see, to the point even a vampire would have some trouble keeping up, Leah gets to Finn's body and takes him away, saving him from the attack. She feels his pulse for a moment.

"Ok. He is still alive. I thought Alastor... "

Said man emerges behind her, the giant about to finish both off with a devastating punch. However, Leah senses him and turns back just in time. Then she lands rapid jabs with her bare hands at the incoming fist. Her fists are getting sore, but she does not care. The lives of both her and the man who loved her the most are at stake of this clash!

"ORA ORA ORA ORA ORA ORA ORA ORA ORA ORA ORA ORA ORA ORA ORA ORA!"

Alastor's hand hurts more and more. His movement slows down gradually.

And Leah is now just screaming.

Just before the fist can obliterate both Leah and Finn, the former manages to finally stop it, making Alastor not just flinch and wince in pain, but stun him as well. Clearwater unleashes a second barrage of punches that weaken the Archdemon and send him flying towards some computers, smashing them.

Alastor gets electrocuted and stunned.

**Alastor's POV**

Impossible. How can this happen to me? These two are not special. They are two nobodies. How can she fight so well?

She is approaching me. I can see the pure wrath in her eyes.

Good. I always hated being the Minister of Truth. What I love to do is fight! Time to get serious.

She is coming fast but is too far from her boyfriend.

If I can do this, one of them will be hit.

I manage to punch the ground hard, creating another blue shockwave. If she does not get in front of Finn, I hit him. Otherwise, I hit her.

She is so predictable. She gets hit by it. Now I have all the time in the world to recover.

Can she handle me at my best?

**Third Person POV**

Alastor creates Hellfire Hyenas. Leah tries to avoid all of them, but one manages to strike her and knock her down. She immediately goes back to where Finn is and picks him up, then dodges two blue shockwaves. Alastor uses Chaos Hammers and Leah, due to the weight she carries, can't dodge all the shockwaves and gets hit by one. She charges at Al and strikes him with the crowbar, then dodges the axe which makes a vertical energy wave that rips part of the floor apart.

Her fight with the Vanguard did prepare her for this. She knows his attack and defense are far superior to hers, but her speed and intelligence allows her to avoid all attacks and land multiple hits. Due to being a werewolf, all the while she avoids attacks she is gradually healing.

Unlike the Vanguard, Alastor is no moron. After three rounds where Leah utilizes these advantages and seems to have the upper hand, he jumps backwards and strikes her with his eye beams. Then he unleashes Hellfire from his mouth and singes her.

"That was for all the vampires I lost because of you! After I kill you, I am sending your toy to keep you company, Leah. He was a fool to defend someone her own family hated for good reason."

Leah turns into a wolf and charges, but Alastor punches her and knocks her down again.

"I did not have a good fight in years. I will kill you and your friend painlessly."

He raises his neon axe and us about to finish Leah off.

Leah yells for help.

Instead of gloating, Alastor lowers his axe...

And suddenly something gets attached to his neck.

It distracts him for a second, but he stomps on Leah's back so she will not move. Then he is about to cut her head off...

And that thing attached to his neck explodes, making a hole!

Finn has recovered, having just used his last detonator. He uses his strongest Force Push before Alastor can fully regain his balance and knocks him down. Then he blasts him with the Microwave Beam in the face. Alastor tries to counter with his eye lasers, but Q's technology saves Finn, allowing him to keep weakening the monster.

Alastor sees Leah taking Finn's hand and getting up.

"I will give you some credit. You put up a good fight. But now? Now it's time to end this."

He sends Finn and Leah to a factory this time through portals. Undead scientists roam the place, as well as the ever-present Stygians.

Leah and Finn are back-to-back. "Come get some!"

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Did you like the final battle so far? It's not the end, no, not at all! Next chapter is!
> 
> Did you like the battle with Vlad and Fang? Best moment from that one? 
> 
> So far, the final fight is one of my favorites! I hope you loved it! Best moments of Finn, Leah and Alastor?
> 
> Please leave me feedback!!!


	40. Breaking News

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The final showdown with Alastor reaches its peak! Will Stormwolf manage to defeat the enemy responsible for all their previous troubles?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Last chapter, ladies and gentlemen! Can Alastor repeat his triumph against Leah and her friends, or will he get defeated this time? 
> 
> If Finn or Leah survives, will they reunite with their friends? And what will be Rey's role in all of this?

The factory is surrounded by very corrosive acid. Finn and Leah have no way to escape.

But they don't feel trapped. Finn attacks with his lightsaber and cuts a Stygian's head before blocking the razorblade of another, while Leah attacks an undead scientist in human form and punches through the zombie. Then she kicks another zombie's head off and stabs a third one in the eye with her wooden stake. Finn senses a zombie scientist about to stab him with a serum with morphine, turns and cuts it in half. Then he spins and cleaves three undead at once.

Leah uses her crowbar to attack a Stygian too fast for the lesser demon to block. Then she lands a flying kick through a zombie and uses a karate chop to decapitate a Lesser Stygian. However she gets a bit too cocky and when she blocks a Stygian's razorblade with her bare hands, she gets a cut in her forearm. She glares at the Stygian, but the emotionless creature doesn't flinch or even feel uncertain at all. The Stygian attacks again, but Leah blocks with her crowbar and lands a quick kick to the demon's ribs, breaking the porcelain skin of the creature and drawing black ooze.

Then with a swing of her crowbar she defeats this enemy. Finn finds a barrel filled with nitroglycerin which can cause a lethal explosion. He could wait for enemies to gather and shoot this thing. But instead, he uses the Force, lifts the barrel and sends it straight at three Stygians, ending all three of them.

Alastor comments on this fight. "And here you see more engregious footage of disturbing violence, as the terrorists Finn and Leah have just invaded a factory, and slaughter innocent civilians and even many doctors, doctors who could have saved the lives of your own families in the future. The two also pollute the atmosphere and cause vadalism. Right now, Leah is throwing a fucking crate at an innocent doctor in a futile attempt to spread horror.

Now she is using a crowbar to brutally murder two more civilians who were there to observe the factory. Meanwhile, her partner in crime shoots at four civilians. Probably mothers of the innocent underage girls he raped for his own sick pleasure.

He usually feeds these girls to his wild wolf afterwards and is rumored to get off to their screams. He also tried to steal the girlfriend of a hero born in a long line of heroes and abused by a warmonger, the poor Ben Solo, who saved his world along with his girlfriend before she became a terrorist after his death. However, he just didn't have the pure bond these two had.

So he resolved to assaulting animals instead. However, he is a weak coward who ran from his responsibilities, and soon he and his partner in crime, the bullying, selfish bitch, will face justice when security comes in.

There is evidence these two are allies with the criminal organization calling themselves the Resistance. If you see them in the street, kill them. Kill them and feed their corpses to dogs. These two are too dangerous to be kept alive. As you can see, this innocent scientist got stabbed in the forehead by the hot blade of Finn. This is the fate of those who try to be peaceful with him.

As for Leah, here she shows her utter savagery by ripping a man's head off with her bare hands amd throwing at another civilian as a projectile. Don't expect her to be merciful, she is a pedophile and so is her entire pack. One of her old friends was dating a two-year-old girl.

But don't worry. A powerful squad which includes one of our mightiest machines, called the Hell Knight because it's an intimidating name, comes right now to prosecute them."

Finn, meanwhile, uses his Whirlwind of Destiny to charge at five Stygians and two Zombie Scientists and cleaves all of them. Leah punches the ground and staggers three zombies. Then she lands a flying kick to one, uses the momentum to jump to the next one and also kick it, and she even manages to land a third flying kick this way. Then she turns into her wolf form and with a Seven-Sided Strike she takes more enemies out.

An elevator raises and Zombie Security storms the place. Then the elevator immediately goes down to bring the reinforcements. Finn fires his blaster and gradually weakens the shields, while with his saber he deflects the enemy blaster bolts. Leah, still in her wolf form, moves really fast and bites one of them from the side before she gives him a paw slap. Then she pounces at one more enemy.

Finn manages to overcharge an energy shield and with a headshot he kills his first Zombie Security, but it took time and he got grazed three times. He changes to the Microwave Beam, which is so strong that smashes the energy shields immediately, but because he has to hold still he gets shot in the arm.

Alastor comments on this. "Already our security starts overpowering the heretics." He closes the microphone. "KILL THEM! KILL THEM BOTH!"

And then reopens it to comment at the brutality of Finn using a wild wolf to bite the leg of a security employee while using black magic to throw another cop just doing his job in the pool of acid.

Finn uses the Force to guide his blaster bolts and attack from the sides. The Zombie Security guards gather in a circle and each one points to one side, all shooting at Finn and Leah from all sides while their shields block the blaster bolts with minor damage. But due to the closer formation they are forced to have, Finn uses a very strong Force Push and sends all of them flying, breaking it. Leah uses her super speed and mauls three of them before they recover, while Finn fires and guides some more blaster bolts and defeats another undead.

Then he draws his lightsaber, slashes a guard, kicks him and then throws him into the air. He jumps and with another fast swing he cuts the zombie in half. Leah grabs an undead with her teeth and throws him at the pool of acid. Then with another Seven-Sided Strike she takes out seven more, but a bolt of plasma wounds her from the side.

She turns into her human form and sees a Zombie Security guard blocking Finn's blaster bolts and about to shoot back. She kicks the brain-eating monster from behind, launching him at the Jedi who fires seven times and kills the creature.

Then the final wave comes. The perfectly organic and real Hell Knight, as well as a few more Zombie Security guards. Finn draws his lightsaber and Leah her crowbar.

The Jedi charges at one of the guards, parrying every single shot with his lightsaber and then with some slashes takes out the shield. With two quick jabs the enemy drops dead, but the Hell Knight is right after. He runs towards Finn and attacks with his right arm blade downwards, but Finn blocks the strike using his saber and both hands. Then he goes for an overhead swing, which is blocked. Finn dodges the next slash with a roll and manages to leave a cut in the Hell Knight's right side.

Leah batters another zombie and sees Finn's duel. The dark-skinned warrior manages to land another hit, a jab at the brute's torso, but the demon knocks him down with a kick.

Leah flips off a zombie, even throws a brick at it. The brick is blocked by the shield, dealing no damage. The guard retaliates with its plasma rifle and seems to hit her, but it was an afterimage. Leah lures the guard to shoot at her and the guard does so, but the Native American dodges at the last second and the bolts hit what's behind her, _the Hell Knight._

Who roars and retaliates with a fireball, which is blocked. As the Zombie Security guard and the Hell Knight fight each other to the death, Finn and Leah take care of the rest of the monsters.

Al of course comments on this. "And here you see the terrorists brainwashing an innocent security guard to fight our machine and get killed. Meanwhile, they perform shocking acts of violence as Leah viciously assaults another guard and then kicks him towards the acid, while Finn shoots his right arm to inflict more pain. Right now, you see him decapitating another person just doing his job."

The Hell Knight has been weakened by the plasma rifle of the guard, but the shield is nearly broken, slowly regenerating. The bulky demon changes strategy, leaping towards the zombie and smashing the energy shield with an aerial strike with both arm blades at once. The green laser blades chop the zombie to pieces.

Leah doesn't want to risk losing her crowbar, so after she batters the last zombie's brains out, she seathes the weapon and with her senses she manages to spot and avoid a green fireball coming at her.

Finn rushes with his lightsaber, unleashing a flurry of slashes at the minotaur. The Hell Knight manages to block those that went for the chest, but some were low enough for the legs and got through. In the end, Finn slashes upwards and breaks the demon's guard and then lands a few more hits while the foe is in mid-air. Finally with a kick the Jedi sends him straight to Leah, who lands a solid Sonic Overdrive, jumps while he is down and gives a punch which normally makes craters to the ground!

This is not enough to kill the big demon, though. He gets up and slashes Leah with his left blade. In spite of the blades being from green plasma, they draw blood. Finn attacks with his saber, but a shoulderbash knocks him to the floor.

Alastor keeps commenting. "As you can see, these non-believers might act tough to innocent civilians, but in their core they are pathetic, disgusting, weak, selfish cowards. And they are currently getting a lesson for opposing the true God's will.

While these two repulsive excuses of living beings are getting their comeuppance for their heinous violations of the law, I will send a message to their allies in the Resistance, who are attempting to murder the sweet and innocent owner of the nightclub "Hot as Hell", Lily Adams.

The whole world is looking for you, nauseating anarchists. The Agents have been through drastic improvements so they can make sure you are all brought to justice. Especially you, Pan Hancock, who have participated in non-consensual sex more than once! I am pretty sure Lily knows the best way to give you what you deserve.

As for the rest of you horrible heretics, you too will be all brought to justice. We will find and destroy you, one by one. Rest assured, poor, innocent people. These awful individuals will get punished before their toxic influence spreads further!

This is Al Astor of the Boar News, have a nice day."

Finn and Leah are still struggling against the Hell Knight. The Knight manages to kick Leah and land a jab at Finn's shoulder. But Leah has a plan, and Finn reads her mind and catches on it quickly. He manages to block some swings from the demon and jumps backwards. The Hell Knight throws a fireball at the Jedi, but he reflects it with the Force. The demon blocks it, but Finn Force Pushes him straight at Leah... who unleashes a mighty barrage of punches, a determined look in her eyes, and they all strike the Hell Knight faster than the human eye can see, while Leah is screaming her usual battlecry, inspired by one of her idols!

The sheer force of the rapid strikes is too much even for the Hell Knight, who is launched towards Finn's line of sight... who has the Microwave Beam ready and opens fire! The shot is a direct hit, strong enough to send the still in mid-air elite fiend flying even more, redirecting his route. It would not launch him normally, but now he has already lost his balance... and goes straight to the pool of acid! Which melts the damaged armor and flesh of the strong adversary.

"These guys are still hard to put down!"

"Well, I found two healing potions." Both drink one and find the exit, getting back to Alastor!

Who is all but _livid._

"How could you escape? Very well. We shall see who has the last laugh!"

[Mother (final boss music)](https://youtu.be/KbKFpEI7IIY)

Leah charges to punch him, but gets electrocuted by a neon shield.

The demon takes his human form.

"We interrupt our program for breaking news. Astronauts have made a shocking revelation. They have found out a Galaxy far, far away and are about to reach it. It's confirmed that's the Galaxy which used to belong to the legendary tyrant, Palpatine."

Finn gestures to Leah to take a step back. "I have a bad feeling about this."

Al continues speaking. "As I speak, the ship is still going towards the galaxy, it will reach its outer rim in thirty minutes."

"No... no... I don't think he will betray himself so easily. I don't think he will blow his cover himself. I can't risk putting innocents in harm's way, I have to make sure these travellers are demons or not!"

Al Astor keeps talking normally. "Soon, we will make our first colony in another galaxy. I hope we can have good interactions with the natives. It will be a small step for humans, but a colossal one for the entire humanity!"

Leah, as a Native American, also becomes worried hearing these words. What if a genocide happens?

Al Astor has made a mistake. He took measures to completely shield himself from physical attacks or any possible aggressive spell, keep his human disguise and tell the news exactly the way he wanted, and make sure not to make any tongue slip...

But, seeing as Finn's first attempt at reading the demon's mind was worthless and Al was more focused on telling the news and not getting hit, he didn't defend his mind too well from Finn's mind reading.

Finn is gritting his teeth, encounters resistance. But not too much. "Ugh... come on! Come on!"

Leah throws a computer as a distraction, allowing three seconds for Finn to read the Archdemon's thoughts. Only small glimpses.

"Reinforcements"

"Good cover"

"The shield is impenetrable"

"Unprepared"

Finn turns to Leah. "He hid the most vital words well, but we have a problem. He is indeed sending demons at our Galaxy. Sadly, I don't have telepathy, I can't send a message to my friends without Al intercepting me."

Al Astor turns to the two.

"Let me guess. Good job, Finn, for figuring it out. Seeing Leah so concentrated, she is sending a message to what's left of her pack. Hoping Poe Dameron will get out of the city, board his X-Wing and shoot our transport down, right?"

"Damn it. He figured it out!" Leah responds.

"Well, as the race behind some imprints, we know about the Alpha mind link. I take that a few packmates are still alive and conscious. It will never work. Our transport is almost in the Galaxy and Poe is not even out of the tower. You will always be too late, so don't bother sending a message."

"No, Leah. Do try. He knows nothing about Poe."

"I know he is a hotheaded ace pilot. But he will be too late to stop the conquest."

"I know Poe far better. And he is a strategist, even better than me. He will find a way to stop this, but we will enable him!"

While Leah is sending the message, Alastor turns back into his true form and fires red beams from the eyes, but Finn blocks them with his lightsaber. Then the Archdemon attacks with a barrage of lethal pixels, the Video Torrent. These are blue in color and go at extreme speeds. Finn parries them too with his lightsaber, but to do so he needs to use his instinct, his teeth are gritting, his left foot is slowly moving backwards from the stance the man is forced to do and the friction starts cracking the pavement.

The Archdemon responds by creating hyenas made of Hellfire. Finn struggles to push them off with the Force and in the end one bites him hard.

Meanwhile, Alastor presses a button in the control panel. Chuckling, he turns back to the two heroes.

"HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA!!!! You are all cornered! Your Galaxy will be just another colony of ours! And the best part? We will do it live!"

Back to the transport, Q has successfully evacuated all the injured. He did encounter some monsters while retreating, namely some orcs and zombies. He used a decoy of himself to lure them away. A vampire Agent saw through it and chased them, but the UV Beam killed the Agent, though not before he grazed Q with a bullet.

Little Finn is trembling, worried about Finn and Leah. He hardly ever is away from his mistress, and he knows it must be really really dangerous to leave him, like Emily, behind for his safety. Emily is trying to calm the little mouse down, telling him she did it to protect him and that she will return triumphant. Emily herself is really worried, since she knows Leah is not as strong as her current adversary, but believes that her cousin, her family, will find a way to win. However, even while feeding Leah's pet mouse, the girl still fails to completely calm him down.

Meanwhile, Poe and Virago lead the group of survivors, who are few but still a formidable force. They encountered the monsters Q had fooled beforehand and defeated all of them. However, Alastor had activated a switch that opened some walls and unleashed a last wave of contained monsters, something he planned to do initially if someone managed to kill him.

"Shame that the Poet was knocked out. She could take us immediately to safety."

"I hope she can recover, General Poe. I am worried about her."

"Me too. She was a great warrior."

"What about Gray and Embry?"

"Unlike the Poet, they are at least stable. I am the most worried about her because she might die from her injuries. She needs to be stabilized. Good thing Q escaped with some of the healthy troops and took the injured with him." Apart from the lack of bodies, an orc was swearing because someone used a decoy. Poe knew Q was alive.

One of the werewolves gets Leah's message.

"Poe! We have a problem. Leah says Al tries to send demons to your Galaxy."

"Where are they now?"

"Close to the Outer Rim."

"Damn, I can't reach them... but I can still inform the galactic defenses!" He tries to call Jannah and Jessika. After he and Finn visited the Galaxy to speed up the restoration of the families of the Troopers, Jessika became Vice General of the fleet and Jannah Vice General of the ground forces, so they can lead the defenders when the two Generals are missing. Rose became the chief mechanic and hacker, and Zorii an elite officer.

Poe knows the remaining Resistance is still strong.

However, due to still being in Limbo, there is no signal at all! Poe grits his teeth.

"Damn it! We need to get out, fast!"

As Poe's team is descending, Finn and Leah don't have an easy time.

Alastor summons the Chaos Hammers once more, which both Finn and Leah avoid, but they cause mighty shockwaves and Leah gets hit. While the two avoid the pools of lava, Alastor attacks Finn with a blue sonic wave from his mouth, far stronger than the one Leah can do. The Jedi tries to block it, but fat chance. The sound rings in his ears and forces him on his knees, stunned. Then the red eye beams of the blue giant wound the dark-skinned fighter further.

"You should have kept chasing after the garbage collector, Jedi. History will always remember you as a punk!"

He unleashes a stream of Hellfire from his mouth, thick enough to cover a human's head and able to melt steel, but Leah dashes fast as the sound and saves his life. Then she spots a strange neon switch.

"Leah, I will keep you covered!"

Finn then fires his blaster, all bolts harmlessly bouncing at Alastor's shield. The Archdemon responds with Video Torrent, but Finn dodges and lifts a chunk of the pavement with the Force. When Alastor attacks with Hellfire again, Finn uses this chunk to stop part of it and dodges the rest of the stream.

Alastor creates lasers on the floor, which rotate clockwise. Leah is fast enough to outrun them, while Finn uses precise timing to jump over the attacks.

Leag reaches the switch and steps on it. Nothing. She jumps on it, nothing. The lasers are coming towards her. She has only one chance. She uses the Quake Punch directly at the switch.

As it activates, a pink cluster of lightning strikes the Archdemon's shield. The short circuit weakens the demon's defense.

"Ugh... you know, Leah, I did order Armilla to have some fun with your boyfriend. I was wrong. You both deserve such a treatment!"

"Not even you do so. And you are an asshole!"

The Archdemon's fists glow red. "I will fist you to death!" And he fires red fists of pixels at a rapid rate, which Leah starts dodging, but one manages to hit her and knock her down.

Finn uses his Microwave Beam, but the shield is still too strong. Alastor turns to him. "As for you, human, you couldn't even help Rey in Exegol! Ben, the true hero of the story, saved her life! You couldn't save your own mentor either! I have cameras everywhere, I know everything!"

As Finn's blood is boiling, eyes burning with anger, Leah recovers.

Alastor has one more taunt. "As for your pathetic friends? They won't even know what killed them!"

Speaking of their friends, they hear roars of savage beasts, but can't see a thing. The werewolves can smell something, but the humans have no clue at all.

Virago draws her Orca Swords and steps forward. The roars become louder and louder. And when they are heard too loudly from the woman's left side, she turns and slashes with a sword, drawing blood out of nowhere!

"They are invisible! Try to sense them!"

She is not wrong, the Spectres are indeed invisible, and like the Pinkies otherwise. The werewolves can smell them and Poe uses sound. Virago uses the Force instead of her eyes to fight back and manages to inflict more wounds to the first savage beast until she kills it. However, a second one charges at her and would have knocked her off her feet if not for the Force, which allows her to sense the monster and push it backwards.

Poe manages to hear a monster's roars getting louder and louder from his front left, ten o'clock. He immediately fires his last Garlic Bomb. It does little damage by itself... However, it hits not just the intended target, but another Spectre as well, and now they have a very intense smell that allows even the human troopers to spot them. Poe fires his blaster, shoots a Spectre in the face and then dodges the demon's charge by rolling to the left. He gets to one knee and fires his blaster once more, striking the Spectre before it turns and making it roar in pain.

A werewolf manages to smell a fifth charging Spectre and grab it by the horns before he gets hit. Then he knees the creature in the face and breaks three of its teeth. However the beast gets even angrier and manages to overpower the wolf and knock it down. A former Stormtrooper, seeing exactly how the werewolf is in danger, shoots the Spectre in the ribs and makes it flinch, allowing his friend to lunge at the monster and defeat it.

Virago uses her Orca Swords and manages to decapitate the Spectre. An enemy that was hit by the Garlic Bomb is shot by eight blaster-wielding soldiers at once. It survives and keeps charging, but another barrage brings it down. A former Stormtrooper is the first casualty, bitten to death after getting rammed by a demon, but three werewolves lunge at the monster. One gets a headbutt, but the other two viciously claw it until it succumbs to its injuries.

Poe dodges another charge and shoots the Spectre once more, making it roar in pain again. Then he does something risky. He keeps shooting before the enemy gets close. He lands three headshots, stopping the next charge seemingly... But the monster still has some momentum and manages to ram Poe, though not hard enough to knock him down. Poe actually punches the Spectre and finishes it off with a shot in point blank range.

"Damn... They still killed one of us! The assholes!"

They gather in a circle and mourn their fallen friend for three minutes.

But one more enemy appears. And a silver blade emerges through Poe's back. Thankfully, it misses the lungs by a centimeter, but it still draws a lot of blood. Poe leaves a scream of agony and can't even get up.

"I can't even mourn my friend? I can't even tell the Galaxy they are in danger?"

Virago embraces Poe Dameron. "Please, don't tell me you..."

"No. I refuse to fail my friends and the Galaxy! I am General Poe, and I refuse to die!"

The enemy shows himself, it's a Silver Skeleton. He is ready to stab Poe once more, and the ace pilot can't take another hit.

However, Virago parries the blow! "If you want to kill him, you have to get through me!"

The skeleton attacks worldlessly twice, but Virago parries both strikes with her Orca Swords. Then she counters with a slash with both swords, but the undead warrior rolls to her right and attacks from two o'clock.

He goes for a vertical strike, but Virago parries. Her next attack is parried, though, and she gets a jab at her shoulder. One of the former Stormtroopers fires at the skeleton, but he rolls away at the last second. The shot still grazes him, and when he gets up Virago is ready and strikes him, cleaving the left arm off!

Then she attacks with both blades at once, but he blocks them both at once, due to her making the mistake of using both from the same angle. And through black magic, the severed arm is reassembled and punches her in the gut.

The skeleton then manages to slash her and forces her on her knees.

Poe still can't stand up, but as the skeleton is about to finish Virago off, he fires his blaster three times and manages to hit his legs, making him lose balance and allowing Virago to recover and strike the silver monster in the spine from the front. Then the Orca Swords and the silver longsword clash and lock for a moment. Nobody seems to be losing... But Virago makes a signal and some troopers fire at the monster.

Most bolts miss, but one strikes the right leg of the skeleton, while another one breaks one of the left ribs. Weakened, the skeleton loses the clash and Virago cuts the skeleton in half. Then with the Force she rips him apart and makes him a pile of bones laying to the ground. Poe manages to finally stand up and place his last detonator. It makes sure the skeleton is obligated and never recovers.

Now, with Virago's help, he is one step away from getting out of the tower.

Meanwhile, Finn and Leah are in the doghouse, in spite of having already activated two switches. Finn gets hit by a stream of Hellfire and launched close to a switch.

"Breaking news, General. You are fired."

Leah attempts a Sonic Overdrive, but Alastor emits a sonic wave from his mouth and the sonic waves clash! The sound Alastor made is far louder and overpowers Leah, knocking the young woman down. She gets up and growls. "Come on, bastard! Are we hiding behind shields now?"

The Archdemon grabs the she-wolf and roars to her face. The woman flinches. "You think you are great? Time for me to crush your delusions."

Before he can do that, though, the blue giant is electrocuted and his shield weakens further.

"News flash, Al! I am also a threat! Shocked, huh?"

Alastor finally gets all-out. He starts by creating giant green and blue walls of pixels, five of them in a row, with few gaps between them.

Finn might be a Jedi, and Leah a contender for the fastest werewolf alive, but they can't dodge forever. Finn gets hit in the third one, while Leah in the fifth one.

Alastor spawns winged hyenas from his mouth, which spit bolts of acid from their mouths. Then he uses his rotating lasers on the ground.

Finn dodges a bolt of acid and fires his blaster, wounding a hyena. Then he jumps over the lasers. Alastor uses for one last time the Chaos Hammers, causing multiple shockwaves and craters. A shockwave hits Leah and she gets a nasty burn in her legs. As she is holding them in pain, a hyena spits its acid at her, but Finn deflects it with the Force and shoots the monster in the wings.

The Minister of Truth roars. "You think you are hot stuff, Finn? How about I kill you and these girls eat your flesh?"

"Wait, these hyenas are girls?"

"Yeah." Leah responds. "Females are always stronger in hyenas and related monsters." However, she forgot the rotating lasers which hit her.

"Thank you for answering, wolf bitch!"

Leah, insulted, manages to get up and goes for the last switch at the opposite direction of the rotating lasers, while Finn covers her from the hyenas with his blaster and accurate shots. The first hyena falls to the floor, dead, after a well-placed headshot. Finn keeps shooting the rest, but a bolt of acid grazes him.

However, Alastor reverses the rotation of the lasers, managing to take Leah by surprise and hit her. Finn senses it with the Force and avoids it, but a bolt of acid strikes his shoulder and melts the armor there. The man retaliates by taking out the hyena who just shot him and throwing another one with the Force at a third one, sending them tumbling in a fiery crater just before they vanish. He also sends computers at the monsters, but one of them uses her acid and melts a computer before two more strike her wings and land her to the ground. The lasers are about to kill her, but Alastor changes their route again. Finn simply shoots the monster dead. However, he is knocked backwards when Alastor attacks with hot air from his mouth.

"Kill him! Smash the heretic!"

All the remaining hyenas fly towards Finn, but he sends them flying backwards with the Force, some crashing at their lord's shield. The Archdemon fires his eye beams at Leah while the ground lasers come close to her, but she jumps far enough to avoid both and gets close to the button. As he aims again, one of his minions is sent between him and his target and gets hit instead.

Seeing Finn shooting the last hyena makes him mad and he punches the Jedi in the face, breaking a tooth. As Finn spits blood, the Archdemon towers over him and starts landing punch after punch! "You useless human! You are nothing but a dog of women! First Rey, then Leah! They are worthless themselves, so what does it make you, Stormtrooper! Your destiny is to be cannon fodder! Nothing more!" He finishes each sentence with a heavy blow.

Leah dodges one more laser. She is so close to the switch now!

Alastor keeps punching, drawing more and more blood. One punch after each sentence.

"You are not worthy to clean Kylo's boots! You are but another number! Nobody cares about you, or the other Stormtroopers! You are all expendable! Replacable! Pathetic! Why don't you obey the Great One? Why are you going against everything the true God stands for? I will erase every trace of you and the Stormtrooper Uprising from history!"

Finn's breath is heavy, he struggles to say something, anything. He is full of bruises.

And Alastor keeps wailing. "You will be hated! Forgotten! You and everything you stand for!"

Then he prepares the finishing punch... but a pink thunderbolt comes from the ceiling and strikes the Archdemon, electrocuting him and completely overcharging the shield. This stuns him and Finn starts getting up.

Leah rushes close to him at full speed.

"What has he done to you? Finn? Are you alright?"

"Y... yes... I... am..."

"Finn! Breathe. Just... try to breathe!"

Finn tries to, but coughs blood.

Leah helps him get to his feet.

"He is stunned! Now it's our only chance!"

Finn uses the Force to strengthen himself. In spite of all this durability, his body would have given up, but his soul refuses to.

Together with Leah, he starts wailing on the Archdemon.

Meanwhile, Poe is out of the Limbo. The portal is thankfully still open. He struggles to get there due to the sword wound, but does so.

And he immediately calls Jessika.

"Poe? What's wrong? Why are you...???"

"It's nothing, Jess. Just a stab in the back. I have to warn you. An evil just as terrible as the First Order is coming. It will come inside a transport."

He turns to the werewolves. "How is this transport?"

One of the wolves asks Leah, who makes an accurate description as she is punching Alastor. "It's a white shuttle with cannons and a black nose. It also has two blue lines on each side."

"Scan such ships! If they are enemies, shoot them down!" Jessika orders her fleet.

Poe leaves a _huge_ sigh of relief.

Meanwhile, the Force still protects Finn, allows him to keep fighting. He and Leah keep attacking.

"This is for all the imprints you whitewashed! This is because you tried to erase me from history! This is for the punches!"

"This is for the imprisonment of me and the other innocents you torture! This one is for trying to kill us more than once! This is because you are an asshole!"

They actually manage to knock the Archdemon down on his back and keep attacking.

Alastor gets many bruises and wounds, but he is still a mighty Archdemon and manages to get up and fight again. He creates his neon axe once more and sends giant red blades, but both Finn and Leah dodge and the latter jumps at his back and strikes him with her crowbar. He throws her to the ground, but Finn uses the Force and makes him lose his balance.

Leah shifts into her wolf form and bites the demon's legs, while Finn jumps and manages to stab him in the arm.

Then the Jedi draws the Microwave Beam. He takes steady aim... and fires! The blue beam of hot destruction goes straight at Alastor.

However, his dark magic can cope with human technology! He fires his Chaos Buster, his strongest stream, and the dark orange flames clash with the rays of microwaves. Their surroundings start melting from the heat, as humanity and demonkind fight with their greatest vitrues. Technology against dark magic.

Both combatants are holding their breath. They focus all of their power in this one strike. One strike to determine the fate of a planet!

The ferocious flames get around the beam. The Chaos Buster starts winning.

Finn reads Leah's thoughts.

"Come on, Finn! You can do it! You can beat him and save the world! I believe in you! Poe believes in you! You are a true Jedi!"

Finn feels as if he has been healed, fills himself with happy thoughts and starts amplifying the beam with the Force, pushing the Archdemon's attack back. However, Alastor uses even more power himself.

"You fool! You think your friends' love can save you? Friendship is useless. It's not a form of magic! Friendship is failure, and so are you!"

The Chaos Buster starts pushing back the Microwave Beam again. Leah knows just encouragement will not help! And so, she intervenes with a Focused Seven-Sided Strike.

The first hit makes a cut in Alastor's arms, but he still keeps his stream strong. The second strikes the ribs and the demon feels it, but continues pressing. The third gets the legs, the fourth the arms again. The Archdemon starts weakening.

At the fifth hit, Finn and Alastor are now equal. The sixth one makes the Archdemon start losing, and the seventh one, in the back of the neck, makes him flinch!

[Sono Chi No Sadame](https://youtu.be/jXYN_M2RDLQ)

After this attack, Finn manages to overpower his mighty foe and his heavy weapon gets through the enemy's spell and hard skin, making a violent burn!

Alastor is screaming in pain! He can't believe the best fight of his life is against two nobodies!

"That was hard-hitting news, Al!"

As Alastor is rubbing his wound, a group of rebels go to the prisons of the Boar News Tower, led by Q. First he goes alone and raises his hands. There are some vampiric guards and Zombie Security, who all gun him down.

However, he used a decoy, and with his sniper rifle he takes out the first guards. Then the soldiers fire their blasters and take out shields, zombies and vampires. Fortunately, the guard this time is weaker and the prisoners fewer. An Agent smells Q and shoots at him, grazing him, but the sniper uses the UV Beam to fry him.

Back to the top, Alastor is still losing power.

"No... I will not..."

He draws from all the Corruption in his tower to keep fighting... suddenly, the three are at an ordinary room for newscasting! One with big screens and windows with a view at the entire Washington D.C.

And Alastor is back into human form. He grabs both enemies by their throats and throws them at a wall, narrowly missing a window. Then he goes to finish them. "Ladies first."

And he charges at Leah, screaming, about to land a flesh-piercing punch.

"ORA!"

Clearwater, who is back in human form, manages to hit first and then she unleashes a very violent barrage of punches at the Archdemon. However, her usual battlecry is not heard. Instead, she leaves incomprehensible screams, which show her desire to turn the Minister of Truth into a bloody mess. The closest her screeches are now are to the harpy Al and her own pack always painted her as.

She remembers the first time she attempted this. Which ended with her doing hardly a scratch and collapsing after giving the first thirty punches. Now every single punch hurts, and she manages to land nearly a _hundred_ of them before she lands an uppercut so strong that sends Al flying backwards.

He uses his microphone and fires a lethal beam, but Finn jumps in front of Leah and by the skin of his teeth manages to block it with his lightsaber.

The Jedi and the Archdemon stare each other straight in the eyes and grit their teeth.

Leah seizes the opportunity, jumps four meters high, and with a dropkick too fast for the human eye to see kicks the microphone out of Al's hands. Finn uses the Force to throw it further away, while Leah ducks a left hook and knocks the man who has beat and imprisoned her down with one kick.

Alastor is spitting blood and struggling to stand up.

"Ugh... you still cannot win, inferior beings. It's still a respected owner of the media and minister against two pariahs, two minorities. What will you do? Expose me? I control the media, I will cover it up. And those conspiracy theorists? They will take my side because you don't belong in the Master Race.

Kill me? The people still like me more than you! They know about Cairo! They know about Forks! They know about Volterra! You two are nothing but terrorists! All good you did to society is giving me a great fight! Do you know how I missed those? While I? I imprisoned, killed many criminals and spreaded nothing but the truth! I will be a martyr, and you two more hated than ever! I want to see you try and kill me!

Or you can let me kill you and erase you from history. Come on! Make your choice wisely."

"You see" Leah responds "this is why we were willing to travel around the world helping others and never got straight to you. We would accomplish nothing then. But people have actually seen us in action. They will believe us. We have friends. We have family. We can still win. Besides, there are people who know your secret and don't act because of fear. Your points are indeed valid... but there will be people on our side too.

Al Astor, Minister of Truth, I will not kill you. I already got my revenge. However, you owe Finn too."

"What are you doing? Your actions will cause problems even then! You are going to cause a full-scale war! It was bad enough that you killed some of the Great One's priests, now if you kill me, you will not sleep for your miserable lives! This war will kill millions of humans! Their blood will be at your hands!"

Finn steps forward. "Currently, humans are used as food for your so-called Master Races. And they have no idea. And those who don't die live as slaves. I will give humanity a chance. A chance to stand up for themselves. They will fight back, and the deaths will be less as a result. And Leah says I will kill you, but she is wrong. I don't even plan to touch or shoot you!"

"What will you do? Try to stab me? At this condition, I can still punch you out!"

"No. Expose you. You are on air in 3..."

Al Astor is confused.

"2... "

He charges to punch Finn. He knows whatever he does won't be good.

"1..."

And Finn extends his left hand, focusing all his Midichlorians at a Force Push, stronger than ever before. It throws Alastor out of a window and the shards of glass pierce his weakened skin, drawing blood from multiple cuts.

Alastor screams in pain and despair as he falls from all 150 stories of the Boar News Tower. He remembers how he got his position. He was put there because it was a valuable position. Indeed, he came this close to defeating both Finn and Leah at once.

So close... and so far away.

SPLAT!

Finn drops to his knees. He struggles to have consciousness. But Leah manages to embrace him.

"It's over, Finn. It's finally over."

"Leah... if he is truly dead... what should we do? What will we plan for?"

"We can do a lot of things together, Finn... "

"Like?"

"We survived Alastor. Now it's time to live our lives for a little while."

"You are right. We can look at the stars. I know a lot about space."

"I bet, my dear."

The two lean closer to each other.

And then they kiss.

Finn had a bad history with kisses. Rey simply kissed him while he was unconscious, Rose and Armilla kissed him against his will for their own pleasure, Nessie went to do it to frame him as evil.

But, after what he has been through, he finally feels what he always wanted to feel from a kiss. Love.

Leah hadn't been kissed before. Everyone, even her own brother, told her she was worthless, screwed everything up and would never find love without an imprint.

But now she knows the truth. There are people who can give her what a kiss truly means. Love.

The two don't want to let go. For a moment, there are only each other for them. And that was enough. More than enough.

Then the transport comes to get them and Poe's voice snaps them back to reality.

"Great job, lovebirds! Now, let's get out of here!"

[History has its eyes on you](https://youtu.be/-nmqQlW-sMo)

Stormwolf won this day. They didn't realize how much they did. Before Finn leaves, he also takes all the tapes of deleted history with him. These things are priceless, helpful to save Earth from oppression.

After they get in the transport, Leah embraces both her pet mouse and her cousin. Both missed her so much and were really happy to see the champion of the werewolves alive.

At night, Finn and Leah are alone with their pet mouse. Finn has recovered to a degree due to Emily's herbs and the three are in a hill, looking at the stars. Little Finn is nuzzling playfully at Leah's side, who feels really happy about that. Finn points at the stars.

"This is Sirius, a double star. Even in my own Galaxy, these stars are something... exceptional. Though there are inhabitable planets which turn around twin suns. Tatooine is a prime example. Home of the great Luke Skywalker. I saw him fighting and humiliating Kylo. He inspired me even more to follow the path of a Jedi."

"Favorite planet, Finn?"

"Takodana. I love the green that is in the planet. It was also when I first used a saber. I saw in the tapes some parts they cut from history. Truth is, I didn't do nearly as well as now, but I still defeated many enemies. And I regretted every single kill. I also used the saber on some guards on Starkiller. But no, my duty was just to give the saber to Rey.

You know, being out of her shadow feels great."

"Finn... the days you risked your life for someone who treated you badly are over. You are no longer there. You are here, with your true friends. And I will always love you because you know how to treat people."

She places a hand in his shoulder, making him relax.

"Finn, when you return to your Galaxy, where do you want to go?"

"Anywhere but Jakku. I have horrible memories. But I want to be with you and our friends."

"Take it for granted."

And Leah gazes at the stars, holding both Finns at her strong arms.

The next day, the Jedi and the she-wolf are in an arcade and playing a racing game.

Try as he might, Finn doesn't have Leah's reflexes and gaming experience, and only could beat Leah at shooters because of his amazing accuracy. Here, by the time Leah is finished the three-lap course, Finn is still in the second lap... barely.

"Damn it!"

"No worries, Finn... after all, someome who has defeated an Archdemon for real shouldn't worry about losing in videogames..."

And she pecks Finn's cheek, making him blush.

"When should we go next to celerbrate our triumph, my little Finnamon roll?"

"Are there any fast food shops? I want to feed you a nice warm sausage."

"I can't fucking wait!!!"

Finn senses one with the Force and the two get there, holding hands.

Meanwhile, thanks to Poe's warning, Jessika managed to find out the demon ship and with her fleet she managed to shoot it down before it could cause much harm, losing only two X-Wing pilots.

Virago stands close to the Poet's bed, giving her healing herbs to keep her stable.

"I can't believe we actually won. What you have done, Poet, will always be remembered even if you die."

Embry has all but regained consciousness, while Gray is also in a coma, but confirmed stable.

Was that it? Was it the end of their story?

No, not yet...

[Satisfied](https://youtu.be/InupuylYdcY)

**Rey's POV**

Finally, I am in Washington D.C.

The capital.

Thank you, Virago, for trying to help me find my beloved Finn. I can sense his presence. He has become massively strong with the Force. I hope this doesn't mean he forgets that I am the Chosen One.

I hope he didn't put himself in great danger. I want him to be safe.

His presence grows stronger and stronger.

I am coming, baby!

But, the moment I see him, something breaks inside me. I feel my heart getting smashed to pieces.

Is this bitch Leah? She didn't change a bit if so. And Finn... is feeding her? I am inside this very building, and he doesn't even give me a glance!

What did I do wrong? Sure, I did try to isolate myself from him and also have hit him more than once, but... it's not entirely my fault. Now that I am free of that disgusting Dyad, I can finally be someone I can truly be happy with.

I want to reconcile. I can't go back now that I am so close! I am Rey Skywalker, and nobody, nothing will get between me and Finn!

**Third Person POV**

Rey shouts Finn's name.

He turns and sees her.

"Rey? Is that you?"

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> And a chapter closes for the story of a Jedi and a werewolf, the unsung heroes that bravely fought against oppression with the help of their friends.
> 
> Did you like the final battle? Favorite moment of Finn, Leah, Poe, Virago, Alastor? 
> 
> Might make a sequel focusing on the love triangle Finnrey vs Stormwolf. If I have approval, of course. This can go many ways.
> 
> Did you like the kiss scene?
> 
> Happy 17th of November. Coincidentally, in my country, people my age sacrificed themselves to expose a dictator and we celebrate their struggle.

**Author's Note:**

> Shoutout to everyone who supported this story!
> 
> Mostly JediBatman, who is partially the reason this exists. 
> 
> But also:
> 
> Finnreyfitzsimmonshipper!  
> Ki_No_Shirayuki!  
> Bluesamurai and Greyjedirey!


End file.
